Riding the Roller Coaster
by ficeler37
Summary: Sequel to The Challenge. Shiznat's 'date' at the amusement park!
1. The Next Day

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part I)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1119

**Summary: **Sequel of The Challenge. The next day ...

**A/N**: Hi everyone, I'm back. Wow, I think I'm addicted to writing Shiznat fanfics. Thank you for your support for The Challenge. I hope you'll enjoy Riding the Roller Coaster just as much. (squeal) On with the story ...

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Today is Wednesday, a day that holds not much significance to most people. Yes, the sun is shining and the birds are singing, but today is still the middle of the school week. Most students on their way to school are dragging their feet, wishing that by the time they reach the school building, the day will magically turn into Friday. Just when they think that it is the same old boring Wednesday today, well, are they in for a big surprise …

"Is that Kuga-san walking towards us?" Girl A pulls Girl B over to whisper in her ears.

"That can't be … She is smiling?" Girl B stares in awe of the sight of the blue haired princess whose lips are indeed shaped like a crescent pointing up.

Witnessing the once-in-a-blue-moon phenomenon, Girl A decides to try her luck. _It's now or never. You can do it, xxx. _"Goo … Good morning, Ku … Kuga-san."

Hearing her name being called by a girl who she does not recognize, Natsuki stops in her track slightly confused. _Well, it seems like she knows me though. Oh, what the hell. _"Good morning." After the terse greeting, Natsuki continues on her way.

"xxx, are you ok? Hey! Don't fall over!" Girl B is now struggling to support her swooning friend. After making sure that Girl A is not going to fall flat on her face, Girl B looks longingly at the departed figure a couple steps away. _Kuga-san is more approachable than usual today. Soooo cool! _(Imagine big hearts covering up her eyes)

Coincidentally, a helicopter flies past the clear sky above Fuka High School. The pilot is shocked to see a trail of swaying uniform-clad girls leading towards the high school. _What is going on today? Is there an earthquake going on down there?_

Natsuki has no idea that her terse greetings towards her female classmates (only female because Natsuki ignored all the greetings from her male classmates) have doubled her fanclub's membership in a morning's time. Not to mention, the previously male-dominated fanclub now has a healthy balance of both sexes.

In class, the professor is afraid to call on her due to her odd behavior. _Kuga, smiling, staring at the birds and zoning out? She looks just like a teenaged girl in love … wait, no, that's impossible, what guy will have the guts to ask out the girl who can give people frost bites with a mere glance? This is too weird … did I step into the twilight zone today?_

Before you know it, it is lunch time. Natsuki does not notice that she is almost skipping towards the school garden where she will receive her daily bento. _I can't wait to tell Mai that I'm hanging out with Shizuru again._

Mai and Mikoto are sitting underneath their favorite cherry blossom tree, waiting for Natsuki. Mai tips her head towards Mikoto and watches her 'pet' greedily finish her bento. Mai gives out a happy sigh and thinks back to her hime days. _I never would have guessed that peaceful days like these would ever arrive when we were all fighting against each other as himes. If only Natsuki can find peace in her life also …_

"Mai!"

Mai turns her head to the right and sees Natsuki jogging towards the tree with a flushed face. _Oh my, someone is happy today. Kaichou must have saved Natsuki's butt just at the nick of time. _"What's up with you, Natsuki? Excited about your date this weekend?"

Mai expects Natsuki to show her a revolted look at the mention of going on a date with Takeda. But to her surprise, the shade of red on Natsuki's already flushed face darkens to a new level, and Natsuki has turned her head to the side.

"It's not a date." Barely audible words reach Mai's ears a second later.

"WHAT? You're really going out with Takeda this weekend?" Mai is stunned that Natsuki will have such a girly expression on her face. _And of all people, Takeda? Did an evil spirit possess Natsuki while I wasn't looking?_

"HUH!" Natsuki swings her head around and stares horrifically at Mai. "Why are we talking about this creep again? Going out with him? Ewwwww." Natsuki wraps her arms around her waist and shudders. "No, I'm going to the amusement park with Shizuru this weekend."

"Oh…Ohhhhhhh! That's great, Natsuki. So I guess Kaichou kicked ass at the pool hall yesterday, right?" Mai nudges Natsuki with a raised eyebrow.

"Yea, she was amazing." Natsuki's mind drifts back to the game and a smile creeps onto her face without her noticing. _I never knew that Shizuru could look so cool …Ahhhh, now I'm just acting like one of her fangirls! What's wrong with me? _Natsuki's screaming inside her head brings her back to reality. "Wait, how did you know that Shizuru was at the pool hall yesterday?"

"Uhm … Uhm …" Mai realizes that she has nowhere to escape as she is leaning on the cherry blossom tree and Natsuki is standing directly in front of her. Mikoto, sensing the anxiety of her 'owner', identifies Natsuki as the cause. So she grabs Natsuki's ankle and pulls as hard as she can. Mikoto's sneak attack catches Natsuki off guard and sends the blue haired beauty in the air. Natsuki lands on her butt with a thud.

"Ow! What did you do that for?" Natsuki rubs her tender behind and growls at the stuffed face Mikoto. "I wasn't going to hurt Mai, jesus." Natsuki then turns to Mai. "I think you owe me an explanation." _The one thing that I cannot just brush off as a sheer coincidence is Shizuru's timely arrival at the pool hall._

"Fine, I admit. I text messaged Kaichou asking her to bring someone who can play pool to go save you. I'm sorry for doing this behind your back. I know that you didn't want me to contact her." Mai lowers her head for fear that Natsuki will be mad at her for doing exactly what she was told not to do.

"Ow!" Mai screams after feeling a pinch on her leg. But the pinch is followed by a soft patting on the sore spot.

"Thank you, I'm glad that she came." Natsuki stares at the pink spot on Mai's leg that she is patting, too embarrassed to look her friend in the eyes.

Delighted that her stubborn friend shows signs of expressing her feelings finally, Mai is not going to let Natsuki get off the hook just yet. "So … do you need help picking out an outfit for your date with Kaichou?"

"IT'S NOT A DATE!" Natsuki's scream echoes loudly in Fuka High School.

TBC.


	2. A Flashy Entrance

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part II)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1158

**Summary**: Shiznat meet up at the entrance of the amusement park.

**A/N**: OMG, I really should be editing this econ paper for work tonight, but instead I stayed up writing fanfics. AHHHH! Time to get back to my "real" work.

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_Damnit, Shizuru. What's taking you so long?_ It is 9:45 am on Saturday. Normally over the weeknd, Natsuki would only get out of bed when she could not stand the growling of her stomach any longer, which is around noon. But for today, she had woken up as soon as the sunlight hit her bedroom. Having laid out her Saturday outfit on the sofa the night before, it did not take Natsuki long to get ready. In fact, Natsuki had taken her motorcycle for a quick spin along the coastline before heading over to the amusement park. Still, she arrived at the entrance of the park half an hour before the meeting time which is 10 am._ I knew I should have gone over to Shizuru's place to pick her up._ Natsuki thinks back to her conversation with Shizuru over the phone on Friday.

----Flashback begins----

(Ring ring ring …)

"Hi, Natsuki. How are you?" _Honestly, how long has it been? 3 months? The first time in 3 months when I actually answer her call. _

"Uhm…how did you know that it is me?" _Yay, she picked up the phone! So that day at the pool hall is not a dream!_

"I assigned a cute ringtone to your name. Plus your name shows up on my phone display. So … are you calling about tomorrow?" _Natsuki, do you have second thoughts about going to the amusement park with me? Is this goodbye?_

"Yea, about tomorrow, do you want me to come pick you up in the morning? Let's say around 10?" _When was the last time you ride behind me on the motorcycle?_

_Wait, tonight I need to stay over at the family main house. _"Natsuki, how about I meet you at the entrance of the amusement park at 10 instead? There is something I need to do in the morning."

"Oh…" _So she doesn't want to ride with me anymore…_

Sensing the disappointment over the phone, Shizuru quickly adds, "If you don't mind, can I get a ride from you on the way back? I miss riding on your motorcycle, Natsuki."

"SURE! (cough) I mean, yea, no problem." Realizing that she might have sounded too eager over the phone, Natsuki adds a nonchalant statement in the end.

_Hehe, Natsuki is so adorable. _"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow at 10?"

"Yea, I'll be there."

"Bye, Natsuki. I look forward to our date." _I better hang up now._

"SHIZURU!" Natsuki yells over the phone even when she knows that the phone line has gone dead already.

----Flashback ends----

After glancing at her watch for the nth time, Natsuki examines her outfit skeptically. _So I did end up wearing what Mai suggested after all. _Today, Natsuki has tied up her long flowing hair into a pony tail and put on a black baseball cap. Her low-rise long blue jeans hug her hips tightly while her sleeveless black shirt with vertical stripes and a high collar makes her look taller than usual. _Mai was so sure that Shizuru is going to love this outfit. I wonder what is wrong with the stuff I usually wear._

While Natsuki was daydreaming about her conversation with Shizuru, men and women alike had been sneaking glances at the blue haired beauty who was leaning on her shinny motorcycle with her arms crossed. The tipped down baseball cap only adds to her sense of mystery and attracts more unwanted attention. Finally two teenaged boys who have been observing Natsuki the moment she arrived decide to hit on the stylish blue haired girl in hopes of scoring a date in the amusement park with her.

"Hey, are you here alone? Want to come hang out with us? We promise it'll be fun." Guy A gives Natsuki his classic smile that has helped him score many dates in the past.

"Get lost." Natsuki gives both guys a glare that can freeze hell over in a split second. _Damnit, Shizuru. If you were here now, guys wouldn't have come over and talked to me._

"C'mon. Don't give us the cold shoulder." Just as Guy B tries to reach out and grab Natsuki's arm, a black limo gives out a loud honk and speeds up towards the three of them. Staring at the approaching vehicle in shock, the guys bring up the hands to their faces and close their eyes. The limo comes to a screeching halt a couple feet in front of the guys, and the driver gets out of the car to open up the back seat door.

A graceful chestnut haired woman steps out of the car slowly and walks towards the motorcycle. "Ara, what a nice bike." Shizuru lets her hand trace the metallic body of Natsuki's favorite ride, ignoring the horrified looks of the teenaged boys. "My driver took notice of it first, and we just had to come over and take a look." Shizuru then turns around and stares the boys straight in the eyes. "Are you here to admire the motorcycle also?"

Even though the woman in front of them is smiling, the boys feel as if their bodies are being sliced into pieces by a naginata. "Ahhhh!" The boys screamed in terror and ran away from Shizuru and Natsuki as fast as possible.

_(sigh) Finally…_For the first time since Shizuru arrived, Natsuki takes a good look at her best friend. _Wow, she's beautiful… Girls can compliment on each other's looks, right?_

Shizuru is wearing a light purple sleeveless one-piece summer dress that goes up to her knees while her somewhat curly hair rests comfortably on her shoulder. She turns to her driver, quickly gives him order to go back to the main house, and watches the black limo drive away as she lets out a sigh. _I really didn't want to make a scene and act like a rich snob in front of my Natsuki. Shizuru, why did you lose your cool so easily when you saw guys talking to her? Natsuki is more than capable of handling the situation herself._

"Ne, Shizuru." Natsuki's voice brings Shizuru out of her dialogue with herself. "You look beautiful today." Natsuki scratches her face with her index finger nervously and steals a quick glance at the chestnut haired beauty.

Shizuru puts her hand on the small of Natsuki's back and leans into her hair so that the comment can only be heard by the flushed girl. "And Natsuki is as handsome as ever."

"Ahhh, where are you putting your hand?" Natsuki brings her own hand behind the back to take hold of the offending hand. But instead of letting it go, she starts walking towards the entrance of the amusement park and pulls Shizuru along with her. "C'mon. The lines for the rides are going to get long if we don't hurry."

Shizuru gazes at their entwined hands and smiles blissfully. _Today is going to be the best day of my life. I just know it. _

TBC.


	3. Sticky Pictures

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part III)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1194

**Summary**: Headbutts and sticky pictures.

**A/N**: The more I write this story, the more I realize that I'm such a hopeless sap. Hopefully you all won't fall into a sugar coma.

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It is a crowded Saturday at the amusement park because of the gorgeous weather. Shizuru and Natsuki are standing next to the information booth, staring at the park map held in Natsuki's hand with minimal distance between their foreheads. Suddenly a rowdy kid bumps into Shizuru while running from his father.

"Ow!" Both girls shout in unison. The unexpected force made Shizuru fall forward and the girls' foreheads collided. Shizuru puts her palm against Natsuki's forehead apologetically as her worried eyes witness the drops of tear that are lingering at the corners of Natsuki's eyes. "Sorry, Natsuki. Are you ok?" _Great start, Shizuru. Way to make a first impression on your first outing with Natsuki since graduation._

Natsuki blinks away her tears, and sees the pink collision spot on Shizuru's forehead. _Shizuru, your forehead probably hurts just as much as mine, why do you always have to put the blame on yourself? _"Hey, don't worry. I'm ok. It's you that I'm worried about. It looks like you put blush on your forehead, hehe." Natsuki taps her index finger lightly on Shizuru's forehead with a teasing smile.

Seeing Natsuki's crooked smile, Shizuru quickly hides her face behind her hands and her shoulders tremble sporadically. "Natsuki is so mean. You think I'm like one of those little kids that put makeup all over their faces." _Looks like Natsuki is ok. Ho ho, this is for trying to tease me._

"No, Shizuru. Please, I didn't mean that. You look … (blush) … really beautiful today." _You have only been with this woman for 15 minutes and you've already complimented on her looks twice! I hope Shizuru is not going to think that I'm a weirdo. _Too embarrassed to look up at Shizuru, Natsuki chooses to tug on Shizuru's dress softly to catch the attention of the older girl.

Unbeknownst to Natsuki, Shizuru is actually blushing behind her hands. _Natsuki, can I take this as a sign that you are actually attracted to me? Am I too full of myself? _In order to trick Natsuki into yielding to her wishes, Shizuru uses her flawless acting skills and lets a drop of tear slide down her face conveniently. "I want Natsuki to promise me one thing."

One drop of tear from Shizuru is enough to send Natsuki into a frenzy. "Hey, listen, I'll do whatever you want, ok? So please don't cry anymore." _Oh my god, why do I feel like I'm the most horrible person in the world?_

"Alright then, Natsuki has to go take sticky pictures with me." Shizuru's hands leave her face and reveal a Cheshire grin. "I think I spotted a sticky picture booth behind the merry-go-around. Let's go!" Before Natsuki can protest, Shizuru has already started heading towards the aforementioned machine.

_Ok, now I feel like she just took advantage of me. (sigh) But why is there this warm feeling inside my heart whenever she teases me? Last time I checked, I don't have any masochistic tendencies …_Too confused by her own feelings, Natsuki decides to shake off her puzzlement for the moment and runs after Shizuru who is a few steps in front of her.

Never been fond of taking pictures, Natsuki looks at the bright color machine skeptically. "Shizuru, if you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do with the sticky pictures afterwards?" _I do NOT want to find my sticky picture being randomly stuck on a public phone booth in the city next to all the porno ads. Well, not that I think Shizuru would do that, but still._

"(sniff sniff) Does Natsuki think that I'm going to take your sticky picture all over the place? Do you not trust me?" Shizuru questions Natsuki with watery eyes and is just about to bring her hands up to her face again when Natsuki reaches out and grabs onto her hands, pulling them back down.

"NO! I trust you, ok? C'mon, let's take a picture together." Natsuki hurriedly pulls Shizuru into the photo booth with exaggerated enthusiasm. _Who knows what this woman is going to get me to agree to if I have let her pull her crying face trick again? _

_Ho ho, Natsuki is getting smarter. We'll see for how long you can keep up with me. _Shizuru decides to forego this opportunity to tease Natsuki and focuses on the machine in front of her. The girls select a light blue frame with white lilies in the background, and start to pose in front of the tiny camera.

"Ne, Shizuru. I feel really weird keeping my smile on my face while we wait for the machine to take our picture. How about you control the timer and just tell me to open my eyes and smile right before the flash?" _Just as I had imagined, smiling at a machine is too weird for me._

_Oh my, this is almost too easy. _"Sure, when I say 'now', Natsuki just needs to open her eyes and smile, ok?"

"Alright." Not sensing the scheming grin on Shizuru's face, Natsuki closes her eyes as planned.

Shizuru positions herself to her own liking at once. "Now". What follow are a mechanical click sound and a surprised shriek from the flushed Natsuki.

"Why are your lips so close to my cheek?" Natsuki crosses her arms and refuses to look Shizuru in the eyes. _Seriously, I cannot let my guards down even for a second in front of her._

Instead of answering Natsuki's question, Shizuru is busy fiddling with the switches on the machine. "Oh, you can choose to nominate your picture or vote on other people's pictures for today's cutest picture." Before the meaning of the words can register in Natsuki's mind, Shizuru has already pressed the 'self-nomination' button.

"SHIZURU!" Natsuki frantically presses on random buttons on the machine, trying fruitlessly to reverse Shizuru's action. But all she sees on the screen is 'Thank you for your submission' while a repetitious melody hums in the background.

"Ara, is Natsuki trying to speed up the photo printing process? I can't wait to see the sticky pictures, too." Shizuru smiles innocently.

Imaginary smoke comes out of the top of Natsuki's head as she tries to think of a way to get revenge on the Kyoto-ban beauty. Scanning the area around her, a ride indication sign catches Natsuki's attention.

After a few minutes, the sticky pictures finally drop down to the metallic slot of the machine. Shizuru snatches them before Natsuki can take a look at them. "I paid for the sticky pictures and it was my idea to take the pictures in the first place, so these are mine." Shizuru sticks out her tongue, expecting to see a fuming Natsuki.

To her surprise, Natsuki does not put up much of a struggle. "Fine, you can keep them. But now you have to go on a ride with me." Natsuki seizes Shizuru's hand and starts jogging towards a particular direction with a calculating grin on her face.

When they have jogged past the indication sign, Shizuru turns her head to take a look at the sign. Two words scream alarm at the wide-eyed Shizuru – DROP ZONE.

TBC.


	4. Drop Zone

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part IV)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1169

**Summary**: Experience the Drop Zone.

**A/N**: Oops, almost forgot my personal blah blah before the fic. Drop Zone is REAL! One of the scariest rides I've ever been on. Guess I'm not a big fan of free falls. Well, neither is Shizuru, as you'll soon find out.

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In front of Shizuru and Natsuki stands a cylindrical column with eight seats surrounding the circumference. Shizuru raises her head and squeezes her eyes, trying to take a clear look at the screaming kids sitting on the seats that seem to blend in with the color of the sky. "Natsuki, I am NOT getting on that thing. I think the seats go up to about six stories high. Look! Your feet are just left swinging in the air. Oh my god, did those people just drop down with the seats?"

Honestly, Natsuki is quite amused to see a freaked out Shizuru. It is refreshing for Natsuki to see a side of Shizuru that is so different from the always calm and elegant ex-student council president. "Duh, that's why it's called Drop Zone. C'mon, it'll be fun. Don't tell me you're scared."

"Yes, I am scared, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Natsuki, can't we go on a ride that is less … intense?" Shizuru hooks her index finger on Natsuki's jeans pocket and tugs on it lightly as if her action can somehow sway the blue haired girl's decision.

_Natsuki, stay strong. If you let her get off the hook just like that, you'll never be able to get your revenge. _Realizing that it is no use provoking the chestnut haired woman, Natsuki comes up with a different approach.

"But … but … this is one of the most famous rides in the park, and I've been looking forward to go on it since I won the admission tickets …" Natsuki puts on her best imitation of a lost puppy as her head droops lower and lower.

A faint blush finds its way to Shizuru's face involuntarily. _Natsuki stuttering and begging me to go on a ride with her …KAWAII! _The secret fangirl in Shizuru suppresses her fear momentarily, long enough for Shizuru to agree to go on Drop Zone with the now beaming Natsuki, who pushes Shizuru towards the end of the line quickly to stop the older girl from changing her mind.

As Shizuru walks past the ride controller, she cannot help but raise a question that has been gnawing at her mind after a close inspection of the cylindrical column. "Excuse me, sir. For how many seconds do you stay at the top of the column before you drop down?"

The controller smiles politely and replies, "It can be 5 seconds. It can be 20 seconds. Who knows? That's the best part of the ride. Never knowing when you're going to fall."

Even though Shizuru's trademark smile is still plastered on her face, Shizuru feels like someone had just sent a million volts of electricity into her heart and permanently paralyzed her entire body. In the end, Natsuki has to drag Shizuru's rigid body towards a vacant seat to stop the nagging of the other people waiting in line behind them.

As the girls advance towards the sky while buckled down to their adjacent seats, Natsuki glances at Shizuru, whose face is completely drained of color at this point. _Wow, I have never seen Shizuru like this. Maybe I have gone too far this time. _Timidly, Natsuki grabs onto Shizuru's trembling right hand and uses her most gentle voice possible, "Hey you, want me to teach you a trick?"

As if the steep contrast in temperature on Shizuru's hand has broken Medusa's spell on her body, a slightly flushed Shizuru turns to Natsuki and smiles shyly. "I think that would really help. Thank you." _Natsuki, do you realize the power you have over me?_

"Close your eyes, and make your mind focus on one thing. Just one, ok? If you think about it hard enough, theoretically you shouldn't notice the fall." _Yea, theoretically speaking ... Honestly, who's not going to notice a six story high drop?_ _Hopefully the lie will make Shizuru feel better at least._

A mechanical click noise signals the girls' arrival at the top. Shizuru closes her eyes tightly and waits nervously for the impending drop. _Natsuki, Natsuki, Natsuki, Na … _"AHHHHHHHHHH! NATSUKI!"

Hearing her name being screamed out, Natsuki's grip on Shizuru's hand tightens. _Hang in there, Shizuru. _Natsuki holds in her scream, afraid of aggravating Shizuru's fear.

Finally, their seats slow down to a full stop on the ground. Natsuki unfastens her seat beat and gets out of her seat quickly, wanting to make sure that Shizuru is ok. She extends her right hand towards Shizuru, expecting the girl with crimson eyes to use it as a support when getting out of her seat. _Uhm, how come she's still sitting there? Maybe I should pull her up …_

Just as Natsuki moves towards Shizuru, the chestnut haired girl tries to push herself up from her seat with her hands, but loses her balance. Luckily, the close proximity of the girls makes it possible for Natsuki to catch Shizuru in her arms just in time. (Does this scene sound familiar?)

"Ara, is Natsuki returning the favor from the pool hall?" The Kyoto beauty tries to use her smile to mask her weakened body state.

"BAKA, how can you still smile like that when you can't even stand up straight?" _Why can't she rely on me more? Well, if she's not going to ask, I'll just have to do it on my own. _A heavily blushing Natsuki gently puts her left hand behind Shizuru's knees and lifts her up in one swift movement. After the public demonstration of Natsuki's strength comes a soft whisper. "Hold still." _Wow, Shizuru is so light. _

As Natsuki carries Shizuru in her arms while walking towards the closest bench, many nearby young couples are commenting on the gentle gesture. "They look so cute together!" "xxx, why don't you ever carry me around like a princess?" "xxx, stop staring at the hot girls and pay attention to me!" … Shizuru leans her head against Natsuki's shoulder and chuckles to herself softly. _If only this moment can last forever …(sigh) Sooner or later Natsuki is going to leave me and be carried around like a princess too. If I had to see a man holding Natsuki the way she is holding me now, I would rather …_

The slight trembles radiating from the figure in her arms is making Natsuki overwhelmed with guilt. _Natsuki, you idiot! See what you have done! _Natsuki puts down Shizuru gently on a wooden bench and notices the far off look on her face. _What is this girl thinking about now? _Wanting to bring the chestnut haired girl out of her daze, Natsuki claps her hands once in front of Shizuru's face.

"Hey, let's stay away from the rides for now and go play games!" Natsuki tries her best to look bubbly and cheerful, and manages to make Shizuru laugh out loud.

_Thank you, my dear Natsuki. Always trying to make me feel better. _"Natsuki, has anyone ever told you that smiling like that only makes you look kinda you know … insane?"

"SHIZURU!"

TBC.


	5. Water Gun Race

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part V)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1092

**Summary**: Water gun race.

**A/N**: I feel like this is a shorter chapter than usual. Oh well, I'll write more for tomorrow. Personally I love the water gun race. I don't always win though. Anyways, life goes on. I'm being random. La la la. Enjoy!

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"Look, Natsuki. There are people having a water gun race at the game corner! That should be a piece of cake for you, right?" After Shizuru and Natsuki have wandered around aimlessly for a few minutes, Shizuru realizes that she has just found the perfect game for Natsuki. _This should be a nice break from going on rides. _(Shizuru, you have only gone on ONE ride! - ficeler37)

"Probably." Natsuki takes a quick glance at the direction that Shizuru is pointing towards, but proceeds to remain on the course that leads them away from the game. _There's no way I'm going to use my expertise in shooting to compete with a bunch of kindergarteners who can't aim for the life of them._

"Interesting … the prize for that game is a bright purple snake stuffed toy." (cough) _Natsuki, considering how slow you are sometimes, I can't help but wonder how you used to squeeze information out of people at that shady bar. How many more blatant hints do I have to drop? _Unable to get a satisfactory answer out of Natsuki, ('Uh huh' doesn't count!) Shizuru resorts to her natural acting ability.

"For as long as I can remember, (sniff sniff) no one has ever won me a stuffed toy from the amusement park. I wonder if I am destined to never have that experience …" A couple sniffles and a loud sigh later, the two girls begin to walk towards the water gun race counter.

"For two please." Shizuru hands the park worker some money and settles herself in front of a purple water gun._ Time to put those late night practices to a test. _Indeed, during the months that Shizuru was ignoring Natsuki, she had bought herself a PS2 and the game 'Time Crisis 3' in order to feel closer to the green eyed video games addict. Natsuki is unaware of this fact, of course.

"I didn't know that you wanted to play. Isn't it a waste of money when we know that it is going to be me who wins in the end?" Natsuki scratches her head and grabs a blue water gun.

"Ara, is Natsuki afraid of a little competition?" To Shizuru, teasing Natsuki is as natural as breathing in the air. Shizuru jokingly aims her water gun at Natsuki's chest. "Bam!"

"You're the one who should be afraid!" Natsuki turns away from Shizuru and starts aiming her gun at the little circular opening on the target. "No more talking at this point. Enemies should not talk to each other." _Me? Afraid? I'll show you …_

Just then, an elderly couple arrives at the other end of the counter with a blue haired little girl in tow and joins the game. The little girl grabs onto the old woman's leg and chants, "Purple snake, purple snake, purple snake." Shizuru looks at the child and starts imagining a small version of Natsuki doing the same chant. _KAWAII!_

On the other hand, after Shizuru's provocation, the only thing that enters Natsuki's view is the small circle on the target in front of her. _Focus, Natsuki. If you lose to Shizuru on shooting, you are going to become the butt of hime-sentai's jokes._

At the sound of the bell, water starts coming out of the four guns in the game. As expected, Natsuki is easily leading the game as shown by her high water level. Natsuki stares intently at her target. _Losing your concentration is for losers._

Over at the purple water gun, Shizuru's water level trails closely behind Natsuki's. _There's no shame in getting second place. _However, incapable of erasing the smile of the little girl from her mind, Shizuru does a daring move.

"HEY! Why are you shooting at my target? You're screwing up my aim!"

Apparently, Shizuru just tried to deflect Natsuki's water stream with her own, long enough for the elderly couple to catch up to them. At the end, the old woman beats Natsuki by a hair, and hands the stuffed toy to the little girl.

Only aware that she has lost the game, Natsuki growls at her chestnut haired friend. "Shizuru, what did you do that for? I was so sure that I was going to win."

"Sorry, Natsuki. I thought I was helping your water level go up faster." Shizuru lowers her head like a hurt puppy, does an about face, and starts walking away from the game counter while dragging her feet. _Sorry, Natsuki. I really wanted that little girl to get the stuffed toy. I imagine that's what you would look like when you were little. Is it weird to feel like I've just compensated for your childhood in some way? _

Natsuki's annoyance turns into guilt in 0.01 second. "Hey, it's ok. I bet whoever beat me was really good anyways." The younger girl catches up to Shizuru and starts waving her hands wildly while trying to explain herself. "I'm not upset because I lost, ok? I just really wanted to win that stuffed toy. Yea, that's it!"

_Ho ho, I better not tell Natsuki that an 80 year old woman beat her at her own game. It's kinda cute that Natsuki is so competitive. _"Ok, since we just did something that you wanted to do, now it's my turn to choose what we do next." Shizuru begins to look around at the different indication signs.

"What do you mean something that I wanted to do? I remember being pretty reluctant towards playing the game." Natsuki furrows her brows and pouts in confusion.

"Ara, but didn't Natsuki just tell me that she _really _wanted to win that stuffed toy?" Shizuru raises her eyebrow slightly at the now blushing Natsuki.

"Yes, I did." Natsuki turns her head away from Shizuru in defiance. _Oh well, what's the worst that can happen?_

"How about the log ride?" Shizuru points towards the pirate-themed section of the park.

"Are you serious?" Natsuki cannot believe her good luck. _I thought Shizuru can't stand free fall rides. I mean, she was scared for real at Drop Zone. _"If you're not scared, yea, let's do it." Natsuki's bright smile betrays her excitement for the ride.

_Ho ho, this is going to be interesting …_ "Then let's get in line. But before that, I do have a last request."

"What is it?" _Don't tell me you're going to back out now that I'm all fired up._

"Let me sit in front." The Kyoto woman's smirk can barely hide her excitement for executing her plan. _I call it 'Mission Hold Me Close'._

TBC.


	6. The Log Ride

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part VI)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1359

**Summary**: The log ride.

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It does not take long for the girls to arrive at the log ride line. Natsuki eyes the log that they are about to get on suspiciously. _Why is the log so small? You can barely squeeze two people into the ride … _Then Natsuki notices how the majority of the people standing in line are either holding hands or linking arms. _What is going on?_

"Ara, what a popular ride." Shizuru chuckles to herself as she observes Natsuki's confused facial features. _The Lovers' Amusement Park Guide was right. The ride seems to be made for couples. _Last night, when Shizuru was trying to calm herself down for the upcoming 'date', she googled 'xxx Amusement Park lovers' to get an idea about what lovers do here. Now she is glad she did the research.

Eventually it is the pair's turn to get on. Other than the long cushion that rises up at the center for riders to sit on, there is essentially nothing for people to hold onto. The designer of the ride made the log this way so that the couple can hold onto each other as the log rushes down the steep slope of rushing water. As a side note, this ride is voted the number one thing a couple must try on the survey 'Bet You Didn't Know We Can Do That On A Date'.

Natsuki is the first one to sit down inside the log. She backs up as much as she can until there is no space between her stiff back and the end of the log. "C'mon, Shizuru. Give me your hand."

Shizuru takes Natsuki's offer and settles herself comfortably in front of the blue haired girl, in between her legs. _Hehe, Natsuki is probably blushing behind me, wondering where to put her hands at this point._

And Shizuru is right. At first, Natsuki puts her hands at the back of her head, not wanting to make any awkward contact with her Kyoto friend. But as the log starts floating forward, Natsuki finds it difficult to keep her balance with her hands on her head, so she moves her hands down to her thighs instead. A sudden jerk of the log signals its commencement to climb to the top.

Naturally, the power of gravity pushes Shizuru's body down towards Natsuki's. With her back completely leaning on Natsuki's chest, Shizuru sighs happily inwardly. _Just as I have always imagined. Natsuki's breasts are so soft. _Crimson eyes start to lose focus as the mind travels to dangerous places.

After they have reached the top, Shizuru remains leaning on Natsuki to the blue haired girl's surprise. _Ho ho, now is the time. _Shizuru starts shaking her shoulders intermittently, which catches Natsuki's attention.

"Ne, Shizuru. Are you alright?" Concern is evident in Natsuki's voice.

A quivering voice replies from the front. "I don't want Natsuki to think that I'm a chicken. But I guess I am one after all. I just don't want Natsuki to feel like she can't go on rides because of me." _That's not a complete lie. I am afraid. A bit of exaggeration won't hurt much._

"Shizuru …" _You're pushing yourself to the limit for me again? Why am I always the cause of your pain?_

"Natsuki, will you hold me?" _C'mon. Take the bait._

Sensing a pair of hands snaking up to her waist timidly, Shizuru releases her tense shoulders, covers the younger girl's hands with her own, and puts her entire body weight on the figure behind her. _(sigh) Mission accomplished. I can die happy now._

It turns out Natsuki's Drop Zone tip wasn't a complete lie. As the log takes the big drop, Shizuru's mind remains in la la land, and the chestnut haired woman actually does not notice the fall. A camera flash catches her attention in the middle of the fall and she snaps out of her trance and realizes that she forgot to scream.

Just as she opens her mouth to let out a belated scream, water starts rushing at Shizuru from all directions. Shizuru coughs her lungs out as she chokes on some of the intruding water drops. _Way to ruin the perfect moment, Shizuru. _By the time Shizuru is able to control her coughs, she is already completely red from head to toe.

Natsuki's close proximity to Shizuru permits her to feel every contraction of Shizuru's muscles as she coughs up the water. _Is this the first time Shizuru going on a water ride? It's the golden rule not to open your mouth when the ride hits rock bottom. Damnit, Natsuki. You should have known. Why didn't you warn her? _Seeing her friend in pain is driving Natsuki crazy with guilt. She pats Shizuru on the back tenderly in hopes of alleviating her pain.

Finally, the girls get out of the log with Shizuru's cheeks still a bit flushed due to the coughing. All of a sudden, something catches Natsuki out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, that's a photo of us in the log rushing down the slope on the computer screen." A salesperson senses a hint of interest in Natsuki and begins bombarding her with price information about photos and magnets, which earns an death glare from the infamous ice princess.

"Uhm, Shizuru. Why are you smiling like that in the photo? I thought you were scared." Natsuki crosses her arms and looks over at Shizuru doubtfully.

"Ara, it must be the power of Natsuki's protective arms on my waist." Shizuru tilts her head a little and leans closer to Natsuki. _Hehe, like I am going to tell you about my little vendetta._

With Shizuru's face only a couple inches away, Natsuki turns her head to the side out of embarrassment. _Does this woman know the definition of personal space? _What the blue haired girl does not realize is how much her personal space has shrunk over the years spent around the Kyoto woman. A couple years ago, she would have put a bullet in Shizuru instead of simply a twist of the head.

As Natsuki's eyes scan their surroundings, she notices an unusual amount of attention being paid to her chestnut haired friend from the male population in the park. _What the …AHHHH! _Just then, Natsuki finally sees what the others have noticed since the moment Shizuru stepped out of the log.

Since Shizuru was sitting in front, she had also absorbed most of the water being splashed at the duo. Her light purple one piece summer dress is now hugging every curve of her body intimately. Because Natsuki is standing so close to Shizuru, she can also see the outlines of the black bra and panties that the Kyoto woman is wearing underneath her now see-through dress.

_Wow, I never knew that Shizuru can look so sexy. Wait, did I say sexy? NO! I mean, uhm …ARGH! _The heated gaze from the guys around them is driving Natsuki insane. _If I think of Shizuru that way, then I'm just like one of those perverts staring at her. The staring needs to stop NOW. _Natsuki's eyes searches desperately for a way to get them away from the view of the crowd.

_THERE! _Natsuki spots an entrance to a building nearby and rushes towards the opening while pulling Shizuru along. After they get inside, Natsuki notices that the inside of the building is abnormally dark and someone seems to be blasting the air conditioning in this confined space. _Uhm, where are we?_

A distant scream sets off an alarm in Natsuki's mind. _Wait, don't tell me._

"I never knew that Natsuki likes this kind of place. Well, it's your turn to choose what we do next anyways. C'mon. I think the entrance is at the far corner." This time it is Shizuru's turn to pull Natsuki's suddenly stiff body.

Normally, Natsuki considers herself a brave person. She was never afraid to go up against orphans as a hime. The shifty men at the shady bar never fazed her. But as she passes a gigantic neon sign, she can feel sweat sliding down her forehead. The sign reads, 'Welcome to the Haunted House'.

TBC.


	7. Haunted House I

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part VII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1281

**Summary**: The haunted house.

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The Haunted House is designed to be like a maze with many dead ends filled with morbid surprises. A park worker stands at the entrance of the maze to make sure that people do not all enter the maze at the same time in order to intensify the fear in the visitors, making them feel like they are truly alone. For security purposes, there are panic buttons scatter all over the maze, just in case some visitors are unable to find their way out.

When Shizuru and Natsuki are waiting in line to enter the maze, they cannot help but notice a huge poster listing out rules to which visitors should pay attention while in the maze. Natsuki taps her foot nervously and reads through the poster in order to kill some time. **1. Please do not sit, kneel, or run while in the maze.**_ Ok, fair enough. _**2. Please do not engage in intimate activities in the dark.** _Uhm …okay? _A slight blush appears on her cheeks. **3. Do feel free to scream.** _And they just had to add that last statement, didn't they? _Natsuki's body trembles involuntarily as her face pales.

The attentive Shizuru is naturally taking in all of Natsuki's reactions. _Could it be that Natsuki is scared of ghosts? Huh, I never would have guessed that about my brave Natsuki. _To test her theory, Shizuru gets behind Natsuki, who seems to be zoned out due to her fear, and whispers with a coarse voice. "I didn't want to die"

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Natsuki's sudden scream makes everyone turn around and stare at the source of the shriek. What they see is a gorgeous blue haired girl with her face all red glaring at a chestnut haired beauty who is laughing so hard that she has trouble standing up straight.

_Damnit, how did Shizuru know that I'm scared of ghosts? _Natsuki tries to stifle Shizuru's laughs with her famous death glare but to no avail. On the contrary, it only seems to make Shizuru laugh even harder.

_Oh my god, just when I thought you couldn't get any more adorable. Natsuki, did you know that your combination of death glare and red cheeks almost gave me a heart attack? _Afraid that Natsuki will storm out of the haunted house, Shizuru wipes away the tears at the corner of her eyes and reverts back to her usual elegant self. "Ara, I wonder if Natsuki will be brave to escort me to the end of the maze."

"Are you kidding? Me? Scared? Never!" The look on the green eyed girl's face spells steadfast determination, but the goosebumps on her arms tell a different story.

At last, it is our heroines' turn to enter the maze. Natsuki takes the lead and walks a few steps ahead of Shizuru, trying to prove her fearlessness. The first few minutes into the maze seems to be a warm-up. The girls see morbid scribbles and spider webs scattered all over the walls. Occasionally they run into funny mirrors at corners that give the illusion that their reflections are actual people standing in front of them.

_Huh, this is not as bad as I had imagined. But is it cold in here or what? _Natsuki puts her hands into her jeans pockets and curses silently. Suddenly, she remembers the reason they are in the maze in the first place. _Damnit, Shizuru, you must be freezing by now. _

The blue haired beauty turns around and finds her crimson eyed friend with her arms crossed in front of her chest and trembling slightly. "Are you cold, Shizuru?"

"Yea, a little." Shizuru offers a weak smile. _Oops, I got too excited about seeing a frightened Natsuki and totally forgot about the cranked up air conditioning. _

Without a word, Natsuki gets next to Shizuru and puts her arm around the older girl's shivering shoulder. She uses the same hand to rub Shizuru's arm gently to help her warm up faster. "You should have told me earlier." Natsuki lowers her head a bit and mumbles with a flushed face.

Shizuru closes her eyes and lets Natsuki lead their way. _I feel much better now. Thank you, my sweet Natsuki. _When the chestnut haired opens her eyes again, she spots a suspicious white figure lurking behind the corner that they are about to come across. _Hm… intriguing. _

Just as Shizuru had expected, after walking a few more steps forward, a person dressed entirely in white with a hideously bloody mask jumps out from behind the corner.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Taken by surprise, Natsuki hides her face at the crook of Shizuru's neck and squeezes the Kyoto woman's shoulder tightly. _What is that? Get it away from me!_

Shizuru brings her hand up to Natsuki's waist to pull her closer to her body and gazes at the white figure in front of her with a killer's intent. _How dare you terrify my Natsuki? This is my privilege and mine alone. _

Receiving Shizuru's version of a death glare, the person behind the bloody mask falls under the hallucination that ten thousand naginatas are flying towards him. "AHHHHH! Forgive me!" The 'ghost' disappears willingly into the darkness.

Seeing how Natsuki is still burying her head in her neck and griping firmly onto her shoulders, Shizuru can only shake her head lightly. _Ho ho, this is a side of Natsuki that only I can see. I wish we can stay still for longer, but we have to keep moving. _"Natsuki, it's ok now." Shizuru puts more pressure on the blue haired girl's waist to break her trance.

"Ah!" A moan escapes Natsuki's lips against her will, and she quickly breaks away from Shizuru's embrace.

_Was that … a moan? _Shizuru raises an eyebrow at Natsuki, whose face looks as if someone has just dumped red paint on her. _Ara, I guess Natsuki is sensitive at the waist. One learns something new everyday, ho ho._

Natsuki clenches her fists tightly and stares intently at her feet. _What just came out of my mouth? I can't believe I made that noise. This is so embarrassing! _After a few seconds, the ice princess decides that she cannot stand the inquisitive glance of her friend any longer, so she starts walking forward without saying anything while her eyes are still stuck to the ground.

When Shizuru jogs after the quickly departing Natsuki, she spots another suspicious looking white figure a couple feet away. _Another one? With her head down like that, Natsuki is not going to notice this 'ghost' either. _Just as Shizuru tries to open her mouth to warn Natsuki, the white figure has already jumped out and completely entered into their view.

This time, instead of screaming out loud, Natsuki's face turns as white as a sheet of paper in a blink of an eye. A second later, her gut instinct makes her jump back a little, turns around, and runs the other way. Blinded by her fear, Natsuki forgets about Shizuru who has been jogging towards her. The two of them collide, and Natsuki pushes Shizuru down to the ground accidentally, unable to stop her own momentum.

_Hey, I fell, but how come it doesn't hurt? And what's so soft in my right hand? _Natsuki supports her body weight with her left hand and opens her eyes. What she sees is a pair of crimson eyes staring back at her with a look that she cannot quite discern. As if under hypnosis, somehow she feels like her body is getting heavier on its own, and her head is gradually being pulled down by gravity. At this moment, things no longer make sense in Natsuki's mind, and yet everything seems so right.

TBC.


	8. Haunted House II

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part VIII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1261

**Summary**: The kiss?

**A/N**: I just wanna say that tomorrow's chapter is gonna be AWESOME. That is all.

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Warm breath against warm breath. Blue and chestnut colored tresses engaging in a dance that transgresses time itself. Everything seems to be in slow motion, yet nothing remains immobile. Hearts beating like a wild galloping horse that is on its way to take a blind leap of faith over a dangerous cliff. Thoughts, reasons, conscience … all get thrown to the wind. At the present, all actions are solely dictated by the most primal instinct of all – lust.

_Come closer, Natsuki. _

_I'm coming, Shizuru._

"AHEM!" A voice appears through a panic button on the wall, and takes the girl by surprise. "Takeda-kun, you are supposed to warn our dear visitors of rule number two. Why are you just standing there like an idiot?"

The white figure previously ignored by Shizuru and Natsuki turns towards a particular spider web on the ceiling, and takes a deep bow. "I'm so sorry, sir. Thank you for reminding me to do my job." Apparently there are numerous security cameras hidden behind random spider webs to monitor the actions of the visitors, and the panic buttons also serve as intercoms.

Just when Shizuru and Natsuki are still lying on top of each other, too embarrassed to move an inch of their bodies, the panic button speaks again. "Ladies, would you mind following Takeda-kun to the maze exit? Please enjoy your stay at the park for the rest of the day. Sorry for the inconveniences."

Natsuki is the first to react. She lifts her head up slightly and turns towards the button of the wall. "Who do you think you are? Treating us like some teenagers who cannot keep their libidos under control?"

"Ahem, miss. You are still groping your girlfriend's breast." The intercom retorts.

"Hey, what do you mean MY girlfriend? Wait … what did you say?" It is at that moment that Natsuki finally realizes what her hand has been squeezing all this time. "AHHH!" The blue haired girl jumps up from Shizuru and falls backwards, landing on the floor with a pained bottom.

Shizuru misses the loss of warmth on her body instantly. _Natsuki, did you really want to kiss me back there? Was I hallucinating? _Nevertheless, she sits up slowly and puts her hand up to her flushed cheek in her trademark pose. "Ara, Natsuki is so impatient. Ikezu …" Even though she is annoyed by the untimely interruption, truthfully she is overjoyed for being referred to as the blue haired angel's girlfriend.

"Argh, Shizuru. You're not helping!" A deeply blushing Natsuki gets up from the floor, then carefully pulls Shizuru up on her feet.

"Takeda-kun, right? Your voice sounds very familiar, have we met before?" Shizuru gives the white figure a smile that she reserves for her most hated enemies.

"Ah ha ha, Fu … (cough) … miss, you must be mistaken. I don't think we have met before." Cold sweats are sliding down Takeda's temples behind his hideous mask as he recalls the painful (in more than one way) experience in the pool hall. _No wonder Fujino-san reacted the way she did at the pool hall. I didn't know that she and Kuga have this kind of relationship. Takeda, you idiot. Why do you always have to go for the lesbians? _"Please allow me to lead the way."

The girls follow our favorite idiot out of the maze in silence, both deep in thoughts, unsure about how to bring up what had happened before the interruption. One is hating herself for acting like a hot-blooded pervert while the other is still doubting whether the almost kiss was just a figment of her imagination.

After they have stepped out of the dark building, the girls continue to walk in silence, until … (loud stomach growl)

"Ho ho, I guess someone is hungry." The Kyoto woman pats Natsuki's stomach teasingly, which earns her a fierce look from the blue haired girl. "Natsuki doesn't have to be embarrassed about it. C'mon, don't pout. I tell you what, why don't you decide where we're going to have lunch?"

Natsuki's ears perk up a little at the idea. _For as long as I have known Shizuru, she is always eating traditional Japanese food during meal time. Ha, I wonder how she'll react to this …_ "Alright, if you insist. Let's go to the pizza parlor up there!" Natsuki points towards a restaurant with a humongous piece of plastic pizza stuck to the roof.

As they get closer to the restaurant, something else catches the blue haired girl's attention. _Today's special – Extra Spicy Sausage Pizza. Hehe, this ought to be interesting. _"Ne, Shizuru. Are you afraid of a little challenge from me?"

The chestnut haired beauty smiles sweetly at the object of her affection. "If Natsuki wants to challenge me, I am not going to say no. But may I ask what the wager is?"

"Uhm …" Natsuki was so excited about the idea of seeing Shizuru begging for water after having spicy food that she completely forgot about the terms of the challenge. "How about … the loser has to do one thing for the winner, no questions asked?"

"I accept." Thoughts of asking Natsuki to do (ahem) are racing rapidly in Shizuru's mind. _No matter what the challenge is, I'm going to win. I swear._

After the girls have sat down at a booth at the back of the restaurant, a waiter comes over to take orders. Without taking a look at the menu, Natsuki puts up her hand and stops Shizuru from ordering. "We would like to have a today's special and a glass of ice water please. Just one glass."

_Just one glass? _Shizuru looks at Natsuki quizzically, but soon regains her composure. "Ara, did Natsuki want to share a glass of water with me? (happy sigh) Indirect kiss, here I come." The Kyoto woman blushes and lets her mind wander to dangerous places once again.

"BAKA!" It seems like all the blood in Natsuki's body has just rushed to her face. The memory of what happened in the haunted house suddenly floods her mind. _Why are we talking about kissing again?_

After a few minutes, the waiter comes back with an extra spicy sausage pizza and a glass of water. Shizuru looks at the pizza skeptically as her brows furrow. _Pizza, huh? Hopefully my stomach can take all the grease. But why do the sausages look so …red?_

"Listen, here's how the bet goes. We each need to finish half a pizza. Whoever reaches for the glass of water in the middle of the table first loses. Simple enough?"

Still oblivious to the spiciness of the sausages, Shizuru grins innocently at the secretly smirking Natsuki. "Sounds good to me."

Unable to wait to see Shizuru begging for water, Natsuki quickly hands her chestnut haired friend half a pizza. _We'll see how you can keep your poise in the face of the super spicy pizza. This is for making me look dumb at the haunted house. _"Ready? One, two, three, GO!"

Before she takes the first bite, the blue haired girl scrutinizes Shizuru who usually emanates traditional grace and beauty as the Kyoto woman takes her bite at the pizza.

Silence.

_Damnit, I was so sure that Shizuru is scared of spicy food. _Nothing seems to be wrong with the chestnut haired beauty as she continues to slowly chew on the pizza with her eyes closed. Natsuki munches on her pizza disappointedly, unfazed by the spiciness.

All of a sudden, streams of tears start rushing out of the closed crimson eyes …

TBC.


	9. Spicy Food Contest

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part IX)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1100

**Summary**: It's a surprise.

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Damnit, this was so much funnier in my head. But now seeing her like this, I … Natsuki looks across the table at the chestnut haired beauty whose face is now bright pink, and her soft curls are matted to her forehead due to perspiration. Despite the tears that are flowing uncontrollably out of those crimson eyes, there was not a moment of hesitance in the Kyoto woman's movement. Natsuki can tell that Shizuru is really serious about winning the bet, even if it means sacrificing her tranquil countenance and her melodic voice. _What is driving you to do this, Shizuru? Why push yourself so hard? Don't you know that it breaks my heart to see you like this?_

At this point, the desire to win the challenge has completely fled Natsuki's mind. Her usual competitiveness is washed away by guilt and sympathy. The blue haired girl pushes the glass of ice water towards her friend. "C'mon, Shizuru. Just give up and take a sip of water already. You don't look so good." Natsuki reaches out to the older girl's hand, stopping her from taking another bite at the extra spicy pizza.

Shizuru slowly raises her head and has a difficult time focusing her sight on Natsuki, her vision being impaired by tears. "Natsu … (cough) … ki." The chestnut haired girl takes a deep breath before she continues. _Breathe, Shizuru. You can do this. _"There is no way I am going to touch that glass of water. (cough) I WILL win the bet." _This is the golden opportunity to ask Natsuki to finish that kiss in the haunted house. I can't just let it slip through my fingers. _Immediately after her declaration, she picks up another slice of pizza quickly to make up for the lost time.

"Shizuru, since when are you so competitive?" Natsuki gazes at the Kyoto beauty worriedly as she gets more nervous by the minute. _I can't let this go on. Shizuru is going to lose her voice before she finishes that pizza._

The older girl forcefully swallows another bite of her pizza and releases a big sigh. "Natsuki, stop trying to (cough) talk me into losing the bet. (cough) I am not going to give up unless … someone wants to feed me the water." Even when she is dying of thirst and having trouble breathing, Shizuru still cannot help but tease the easily embarrassed Natsuki. _Ara, I wonder how red my cute Natsuki's face is going to turn this time._

Without a second thought, Natsuki grabs the glass in front of her, takes a big gulp, but does not swallow the ice cold refreshment. With her elbows placed firmly on the table to keep her balance, she leans towards the chestnut haired beauty as her head tilts slightly to the right. _Fine, you win …_

Everything is happening in slow motion according to the crimson eyes. First, the close up of the blue haired princess that is gradually getting bigger. Then, the texture of soft and chilled lips pressed against her mouth. A couple drops of water trickle down her chin as she hungrily swallows the thirst-quenching nourishment that tastes just like heaven.

_No, it's not the water that tastes like heaven. It's these luscious lips that are sluggishly moving against my own. THIS is the taste of paradise. _Losing herself in the ethereal sensation of the kiss, Shizuru closes her eyes and uses her tongue to playfully trace the outline of her love's lips.

Natsuki's senses had failed her the moment her lips made contact with Shizuru's. At first, all she cared about was making her friend have some water against her will. But even after the process of the water transfer was over, Natsuki found it difficult to tear herself away from the wonderful feeling emanating from her lips. _Hmmmm … so soft. That tea scent that is always surrounding Shizuru smells so good. And what is this feeling I'm having right now? I don't understand …_

Neither of the girls can tell how long the kiss has lasted. Eventually someone breaks away first, and both girls take this chance to breathe in the much needed air. Crimson eyes and green eyes meet each other's gaze half way. Sometimes, words are only superfluous. Basking in the afterglow, the two gorgeous girls let a comfortable silence take over them.

Due to the secluded location of their booth, the only witnesses to the kiss are its own participants. Shizuru gives out a little chuckle as she imagines how Natsuki would have probably freaked out if random people started clapping and whistling around them.

"Hey, what's so funny? You won the bet. What do you want me to do?" Natsuki forces her eyes to focus on the half empty glass of water in front of her, trying hard to suppress the natural inclination to let her eyes trail towards those seductive lips on the Kyoto beauty. _I can't believe what just happened. Did I really kiss Shizuru on my own? No! I'm not like what one of those perverts that were staring at her after the log ride. I just wanted to make her throat feel better. That's right. Any caring friend would have done that. _

While the blue haired girl is trying to talk herself into believing her altruistic intention, the older girl ponders her options concerning winning the challenge. _What drove me to push myself to eat all that spicy food was to get a kiss from my adorable Natsuki. But now that she had kissed me on her own, I don't really know what I want anymore …_ "Well, since Natsuki was so sweet to me, choosing to forfeit the bet to give me some water, how about we call it a tie?" A beautiful smile appears on Shizuru's still slightly flushed face.

_Am I hearing this right? The scheming ex-student council president is letting me off the hook just like that? _Surprised by the turn of events, Natsuki can only nod repeatedly to show her accord.

"Although, there IS one thing I think you should know." Shizuru smirks deviously.

"What is it?"

"I would have started chugging the water if you had just given up the game on your own. In other words, instead of giving me the water mouth to mouth, you could have just taken a sip of the ice water. But I have to tell you, I much prefer the mouth to mouth. (happy sigh) Natsuki's lips are so soft." Shizuru reverts back to her favorite thinking pose.

"ARGH!" Natsuki slams her head on the table in frustration.

TBC.


	10. Icecream ChitChat

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part X)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1119

**Summary**: Chit-chat over ice-cream.

**A/N**: I hit a writer's block earlier this evening, and almost decided not to update tonight. But somehow a miracle happened and this chapter came out. (phew)

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"An extra large vanilla sundae, please." After the waiter had rushed over to their table to investigate the commotion (A.K.A. Natsuki's head banging), Shizuru had taken the liberty of ordering dessert. _I gotta cool down that fire in my stomach. Nobody is ever going to make me take another bite of that pizza ever again! But on second thought, if that means getting another passionate kiss from Natsuki, ho ho …_An evil smirk crosses the porcelain skin of the Kyoto beauty as she sneaks a glance over at the blue haired girl.

Natsuki has been silently examining the rapidly changing facial expressions on Shizuru's face since she ordered dessert. _Why do I feel like she just undressed me with her eyes? _An eyebrow twitches at the titillating smirk.

Soon, the waiter comes back with a glass of sundae with two spoons placed neatly on the table. However, one of the spoons is quickly pushed towards the server by the mayo addict. "You can take this away. I'm not having any ice-cream." _Never been into sweet stuff anyways. _"Shizuru, you can have it all for yourself."

"Ara, does Natsuki wants to share a spoon with me, but is too embarrassed to say it in front of the waiter?" Shizuru picks up her spoon and starts drawing small circles in the air with it. "Honestly, I don't mind sharing indirect kisses with Natsuki. I mean, it's not like we've never …"

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Natsuki cuts off the older girl and hurriedly presses her hands against her ears. _Why are we talking about this again? I'm already having enough trouble NOT to think about it. _"Fine, fine, I'll have some ice-cream. Happy?"

Shizuru flashes the green eyed girl a bright smile. "This is just like what a couple would do on a first date, sharing the same glass of ice-cream." She tips her head a little to point out some obviously dating customers who are sharing food around their booth.

"WE'RE NOT ON A DATE!" Scared of attracting attention to themselves, Natsuki whispers harshly across the table. _Why does she have to tease me like that all the time? Can't she give it a rest for a change?_

A hint of sadness surfaces behind the elegant mask on the chestnut haired girl's face, but it soon disappears without a trace. "Of course." _I have always known the truth. But hearing it? … It hurts so much …_

Even though Shizuru's voice is still as cheerful as ever and the corners of her lips are still forming a beautiful crescent, for someone like Natsuki who had been with Shizuru even in the darkest of times, the blue haired beauty can tell right away that the chestnut haired girl is suppressing her feelings again.

Silence falls upon the duo, who are each deep in their own thoughts. Unlike the previous period of silence following the kiss, this time the distance between the two girls are gradually increasing as each second passes by. The glass of ice-cream remains untouched while both girls struggle to avoid each other's gaze.

_Good job, Natsuki. Your wish came true. Shizuru is taking a break from teasing you, and how do you feel now? _On the inside, the younger girl laughs bitterly at herself. _Why do I feel like shit when she agreed with me that this is not a date? Isn't this what I wanted to hear? Can someone please tell me what is going on?_

Finally, Natsuki cannot bear the uncomfortable silence anymore. "Shizuru!"

The Kyoto woman raises her head rapidly at the sound of her name and is met with shifty green eyes.

"Maybe we should start eating the ice-cream before it is all melted away…" _THAT'S THE BEST YOU COULD COME UP WITH! Jesus, Natsuki. You are truly the queen of small talk._

As the girls silently dig into the glass of ice cream in front of them with their respective spoons, Natsuki suddenly remembers a question that she had been meaning to ask the older girl. "Ne, Shizuru. How come you are so good at pool? I just can't imagine it being on the training menu of a proper traditional Japanese woman."

"Well, maybe I'm not as proper as you thought." The older girl relapses into her usual banter with a raised eyebrow. _Screw it. Who cares if it's not a real date? The feelings that I've been having today are real. That's all that matters._

Shizuru's unexpected reply makes Natsuki almost choke on a spoonful of ice-cream. _Gosh, that was close. I am so not ready to die of a freak accident. _(Uhm, I don't think you can die from choking on ice-cream … unless it's some extra-terrestrial crap that explodes in your throat, haha. ficeler37)

Images of Shizuru hustling sleazy men in dimly lit bars speed through the blue haired girl's mind. "Please tell me you don't go out and hustle people at shady bars."

"Ho ho, Natsuki worries too much. I don't even go to the pool halls usually, let alone shady bars. My parents bought me a pool table that is placed in the basement, underneath our traditional Japanese mansion. I've been playing pool since I was a little girl."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you didn't play pool with sleazy men." Thinking back to the scandalous view the chestnut haired woman offered when she was playing pool, a shade of red attacks Natsuki's cheeks.

"Define sleazy."

"Uhm, ok? You know, like men that stare down your shirt to look at your black Victoria's Secret Winter Collection limited edition lace bra when you make a shot."

"Ara, since when does Natsuki know what bra I wear?" Shizuru lazily points her spoon at Natsuki and gives out a seductive smile.

"Huh? Uhm … I …" Unable to come up with a reasonable answer, Natsuki lowers her head to stare at her lap in shame. _Damnit, Natsuki. You're just like those sleazy men you described to Shizuru. What kind of a friend are you?_

Seeing how Natsuki is distracted and her spoon is lying still in the glass, Shizuru quickly spins the glass around so that her spoon is now facing the blue haired girl.

"Natsuki, let's finish the ice-cream right away and head out. There are a lot more rides I want to go on before the park closes." Shizuru tries to sound as nonchalant as possible.

Relieved that the chestnut haired beauty isn't pressing for the embarrassing answer anymore, Natsuki uses 'her' spoon to take a big scoop of ice-cream and shoves it in her mouth cluelessly.

"Gotcha! Our first indirect kiss of the day!" Shizuru exclaims excitedly while spinning back the glass to the position it was in before.

"SHIZURU!"

TBC.


	11. Spray on Tattoo I

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XI)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1431

**Summary**: Spray-on tattoo - part 1.

**A/N**: This spray-on tattoo arc is going to be a two parter. Didn't expect it to be so long. What will happen when a random third person appears in front of our favorite girls? Well, read and find out. (wink)

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It is about 2 pm in the afternoon, and the burning sun had been doing a good job of transforming Shizuru's outfit back to its dry state for the past hour. As the two girls wander around the park leisurely after lunch, a male voice suddenly catches their attention.

"Good afternoon, lovely ladies! Would you like to get a spray-on tattoo? Seeing how gorgeous you two are, I'll even give you each a tattoo for the price of one. How does that sound?" A decent looking young man in his late 20's waves the spray gun in his hand enthusiastically while pointing at the different designs being displayed at the front of his stall.

The ice princess eyes the young man wearily and starts pulling the chestnut haired girl away from his stall by taking a hold of her hand. _A fake tattoo? How old does he think we are? Five? Plus, this guy is not getting his hands on Shizuru. No, sir. _"C'mon, Shizuru. Let's go." A squeeze from her hand makes her turn around reluctantly. _Ok, what now. Shizu …ahhhhhhh …_

The Kyoto woman has put her acting skills into practice once again. This time she decides to execute her bratty shy girl attack on the defenseless Natsuki. With slightly flushed cheeks, Shizuru uses her free hand to push some of her tresses behind her ears elegantly while tipping her head down a little to stare at the blue haired girl with timid eyes. "Does Natsuki want to get matching tattoos with me? Please say yes" The corner of her lips raises faintly as she observes the quickly reddening cheeks of her love.

_Damnit, how can I say no to her when she looks at me like that? But getting matching tattoos is soooo embarrassing. People are probably going to think that we are dating. _Her reluctance towards the idea of them dating does not stem from a sense of abnormality, but rather fear of the unknown. Having shut out people for the most part of her life, the blue haired ex-hime continues to view the idea of loving and being loved as foreign and unspeakable even after the Festival.

"Shizuru, if you want to get a tattoo, go ahead. I'll wait for you. Sorry, I'm just not so sure about getting a matching one myself …" Still holding onto the Kyoto woman's hand, the younger girl's voice becomes softer and softer as she senses the disappointing glint reflected in the crimson eyes.

If the blue haired girl had screamed NO to her face with flushed cheeks, Shizuru would have made a joke then cajoled her into getting the tattoo with her. But a reply with such an apologetic gaze makes the older girl feel bad about trying to change the younger girl's mind. "Oh … that's ok, Natsuki. I understand. Would you come over and pick out a tattoo with me then?" The crimson eyed girl attempts to put on a natural smile in order to mask the tremendous sense of defeat in her heart.

While the girls are flipping through the thick book filled with different tattoo designs, a group of rose tattoos immediately enthralls the chestnut haired girl. Each rose is intricately designed so that a letter from the English alphabet is embedded into the outline of the rose. "Excuse me, sir. May I get a blue tattoo with that design please?" Shizuru points at the rose that has an N embedded into it to the young man.

"Sure, miss. Where would you like to have this tattoo?" The young man unabashedly checks out the Kyoto woman's figure as he grabs for the blue spray gun. "With a face like yours and a body like that, the tattoo will look good anywhere you want to put it."

Sometimes a look can convey more than a thousand swear words do. The ice princess gives the guy a look that basically says 'if-you-don't-shut-up-I-am-going-to-cut-off-that-tongue-of-yours', and puts an arm possessively around the slim waist of her chestnut haired friend. _Why do I feel like poking his eyes out with my bare hands?_

_Woah, jealous girlfriend alert. _The young man quickly diverts his gaze towards the spray gun in his hand. _Who knows what the girlfriend would do to me if I have to spray the tattoo on somewhere intimate? _The clever park worker quickly adds, "I got a couple customers who got tattoos on the back of their hands today. You know, in most countries, it's illegal to get a real tattoo there because the hand has so many blood vessels. But since this is sprayed on, you might as well take advantage of it." _The hand should be alright …_

"That sounds like a great idea. I think I'll do just that." Shizuru smiles professionally at the young man. _This guy is not an idiot after all. _She brings her hand to her waist and gives the blue haired girl's hand a light squeeze before extending it forward to receive the tattoo.

Just as the park worker is about to grab onto the extended hand, he feels another icy glare being shot out of the clear green eyes. _Jesus, I get it. _"Uhm, miss. You can just put your hand on the table here." Then, the now extremely cautious young man puts a plastic cut-out design on the back of Shizuru's hand and begins to apply the paint on top of the plastic card.

In a matter of seconds, a beautiful blue rose materializes on the Kyoto woman's smooth skin. The park worker snatches a water spray bottle nearby, sprays some water on a napkin, and wipes away the extra paint that mars the design. "All done, miss."

As Shizuru reaches into her purse to pay for the tattoo, someone else's hand has already shoved money towards the young man who still has a spray gun in his hand.

"It's on me." The blue haired girl blushes slightly. _AHHHH! I can't stand the thought of him touching her hand again. What is wrong with me?_

The chestnut haired girl puts her newly tattooed hand on her cheek and gives her 'sugar mama' a sweet smile. "Thank you, Natsuki." _I wonder what the special occasion is. Maybe she feels guilty about making me eat that pizza. But I thought the ice cream trick was a pretty good comeback already …_Speaking of food, Shizuru suddenly feels a pain in her stomach. _Oops, I guess my digestive system_ _is rejecting the grease in the end. _"Natsuki, I need to stop by the bathroom. Can you wait for me here?"

"Yea, sure. Are you alright? Do you want me to come with you?" The blue haired girl eyes her friend worriedly.

"Ara, I'm so happy that Natsuki misses me so much that she cannot bear a second without me by her side." A teasing grin surfaces on the porcelain skin.

"What? Who is missing you now? Go! I'll be here when you come back." The easily embarrassed girl turns her head to the side and crosses her arms in front of her chest. But as the older girl leaves her side, she cannot help but follow the voluptuous departing figure with a longing gaze.

As soon as the chestnut haired beauty walks away far enough to be out of earshot, the decent looking guy turns to Natsuki with a spray gun in his hand. "Hey, do you want to get a tattoo that matches your girlfriend's? My offer still stands. I'm a man of my words, so you can get it for free."

"HUH?" The blue haired girl is jerked out of her reverie by the word 'GIRLFRIEND'. "What the hell are you talking about? Why would you think that she's my …" At first her words were being screamed out in anger, but the deeply blushing beauty soon decreased her volume, and was even unable to finish her sentence in the end.

"C'mon, it's so obvious. Will a regular friend be so possessive? Jesus, I seriously thought that you were going to hurt me back there. Oh yea, sorry for hitting on your girl earlier. Didn't know that she's taken." The young man shrugs his shoulders casually and watches the blue haired girl's face turn redder by the second.

"But she's just a friend." Natsuki replies softly with a confused look on her face, not sure whether she is talking to the guy or is just trying to convince herself. _Was I really being possessive towards Shizuru? I thought it was normal for friends to look out for each other …_

TBC.


	12. Spray on Tattoo II

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1267

**Summary**: Spray-on tattoo - part 2.

**A/N**: I actually cracked up while writing this. Hopefully this chapter will brighten up your mood too.

**A/N 2**: Just to refresh your memory, 'naginata' is Shizuru's hime weapon.

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Glancing at the blue haired beauty who seems to be deep in thought and unmindful of her surroundings, the park worker comes to an interesting conclusion on his own. _Wait a minute. Is she still in the closet? Well, I really don't know why she has to hide. If I have a gorgeous girlfriend like that, you can expect me to be parading her around my friends. _"You know, if you don't want people to see the matching tattoo, I can always spray it on a more discreet area so that only your girlfriend can see it."

The sudden male voice brings Natsuki's mind back to the tattoo stall. "I told you, she's not my girlfriend." The emotionally confused girl replies with an annoyed tone.

With a knowing smirk, the young man replies, "Whatever you say, miss." Flipping through the book of tattoos, he quickly finds what he is looking for. He holds the book out in front of Natsuki and points at an intricate rose pattern with an S embedded in it. "How about this one? Since you're wearing low rise jeans today, I can easily put the tattoo on your lower back. Your biggest concern is for people to see your tattoo, right?"

Putting her confusion about her feelings towards Shizuru aside momentarily, Natsuki begins imagining the smile on the older girl's face when she surprises her with the matching tattoo, and her heart is instantly filled with unexplainable warmth.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you? I can totally see it on your face." The guy punches Natsuki on the shoulder playfully. "C'mon, turn around and lift up the back of your shirt a little. I'll spray the tattoo on you quickly before she comes back. Don't you think that will be a nice surprise?"

"Yea, I guess so. Give me a purple one." The blue haired girl hastily does what he suggested. "Wait, how did you know I want the rose that has an S in it? AHHH! That's cold! You could have warned me before spraying that stuff on me." Natsuki turns her head around with a small growl.

"Oh, I overheard your names when you guys were talking. Nice ass, by the way. OWWW!" The flirtatious young man received a powerful elbow shot on the chest. "Just take it as a compliment, will ya? Stay still. Let me use some water to wipe off the excess paint, then you can run to your girl for all I care." Without delay, he grabs the water spray bottle and begins the clean up process.

When the tattoo is finally done, the blue haired girl turns around and looks the guy square in the eyes. "You know, if I bleep out all the moments when you opened your mouth, you are actually a pretty nice guy. Thanks for the free tattoo." The blue haired girl scratches her cheek nervously, unaccustomed to giving strangers compliments.

"You're …" Before the young man can finish his sentence, a melodic voice appears not far from the duo and catches their attention simultaneously.

"Natsuki, thanks for waiting. We can … Ara, did I interrupt something between the two of you?" _Natsuki will never go up to a random guy and start chatting, which means …_

_Woah, jealous girlfriend number two alert. _Somehow the smile on the porcelain face seems to chill his insides even more than the icy glares he received minutes earlier. "Haha, not at all. We were just chatting about the weather while she was waiting for you, and now that you're back, she's all yours." With a nervous chuckle, the park worker quickly hides behind his spray-on tattoo stall, fearing for his life.

Feeling a little sorry for the guy, Natsuki quickly puts her arm around the enraged woman's waist and adds, "We weren't doing anything. Honest. C'mon, let's keep going." Eager to lead her friend away from the tattoo stall, Natsuki pushes Shizuru around and carelessly runs into a body standing behind them. The older girl drops her purse due to the sudden impact.

"Well, what have we got here? No boyfriends around? Then may I volunteer myself to be the protector of you attractive ladies?" Random guy A takes a bow in an exaggerated fashion, confident that he can easily win over our heroines with his shallow charm.

"Uhm, I don't think so." Somehow, amongst all the offensive things that came out of that guy's mouth, Natsuki finds the 'no boyfriends' comment the most irritating. She grasps the water spray bottle next to her and splashes the liquid at the guy's crotch. "We don't need protection from a guy who still pees in his pants. Goodbye." The blue haired girl bends down and picks up the lost purse. "Let's go, Shizuru." She takes hold of the older girl's hand and leads her away from the petrified guy.

After a few seconds, the guy finally comes to his senses and realizes that he had been humiliated. "STOP, you damn bit… " A timely punch to the face prevents the random guy from finishing his lame outburst. Unable to stand the pompous jerk, the decent looking young man had come out from his hiding place, and delivered a blow of justice. "Leave the girls alone." _Nobody messes with my loyal customers._

A couple steps away, Natsuki turns her head around at the origin of the annoying voice and is all prepared to give out a death glare when she notices that the problem has already been solved. The furrowed brows relax and the blue haired girl gives out a small smile towards the direction of the tattoo stall. _He really is a nice guy._

The park worker smiles back with a little wave and teasingly holds out his pinky with the other hand at the blue haired girl, who immediately turns a deep shade of red.

_Ahhhh, I take back my opinion of him. IDIOT! _Natsuki quickly turns towards the most important person in her life to make sure that none of the embarrassing exchange was noticed. _(phew) Thank goodness she is spaced out._

Shizuru has been quietly blushing since they left the tattoo stall because of what she saw. _Am I hallucinating? The tattoo on her lower back … is that for me? _The observant Kyoto woman easily spotted the tattoo in question when Natsuki was picking up the purse from the ground. _Natsuki, do you realize what you are doing? Can I continue to dream about … us?_

"A penny for your thoughts." The blue haired girl cannot seem to figure out why her companion has been smiling and blushing silently for the past few minutes.

"Just thinking about how handsome you are, my knight in shining armor." Shizuru playfully pulls on the black baseball cap that has been covering up the silky blue hair all day.

Green eyes lower their gaze to stare at the ground as the younger girl's body temperature rises exponentially. "As long as I'm here, I won't let anyone hurt you." Natsuki mumbles softly before pulling the chestnut haired girl towards their next destination.

TBC.

----Omake begins----

"Ne, Natsuki. What does the S in your tattoo stand for?"

"Oh, you noticed it already? Well … whoever asks the question has to answer it first. What does the N in yours stand for?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

_I knew it._

"Naginata, of course."

"EH!"

"Your turn. What does the S stand for?"

"Uhm …" (Intense sweat drops) "Sh … Sh ... SHOTGUN!"

"Really? That's interesting. Last time I checked, you weren't materializing shotguns in your hands when Duran was around."

(tomato face)

----Omake ends----


	13. Video Game Arcade I

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XIII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1285

**Summary**: At the video game arcade.

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"So … does Natsuki want to go on another ride?" Kyoto-ben flows into the ears of the blue haired girl like a light breeze on a summer day.

_Shizuru's stomach didn't seem to be doing too well back there. _Even though the older girl didn't say much about it, Natsuki saw that she had her hand on her stomach while walking to the bathroom. _You will do anything to please me, won't you, Shizuru? _"Maybe not now. Hey, how about we go hit the video games arcade? I have been meaning to beat Time Crisis 3 for some time now."

As a side note, Natsuki does not actually own Time Crisis 3 because the guns do not work on LCD TVs. Ultimately, the video game addict opts for getting a flat screen TV that performs superbly with nice graphics games rather than forsaking it for a single shooting game. Shizuru, however, loaded as usual, owns multiple TVs in her apartment, and therefore has the benefit of playing the game on her older TV.

Right in front of the arcade entrance stands a crane machine filled with cute stuffed toys. "Ne, Shizuru. Do you see any stuffed toys you like in there? I'm really good at this game, so if there is something you want, I'll get it for you." The blue haired girl pulls her elegant friend towards the glass that separates them from the squishy prizes.

In a matter of seconds, the chestnut haired beauty's attention is quickly captured by a coiled purple snake stuffed toy. "I like that one." She points at her target that is being partially hidden underneath a couple other stuffed toys. _It kinda looks like the one from the water gun game._

Natsuki eyes the purple snake and frowns a little on the inside. _Oh no, I forgot to tell her to pick one that is lying on top. _Seeing the sparkles in those crimson eyes, the blue haired girl cannot bring herself to deny the simple request. "A piece of cake. Hey, would you mind getting me a can of coke from the vending machine? I'm kinda thirsty." _This is going to take me a while. She doesn't need to be here to see how much money I'm going to spend._

"Sure. Anything for my Natsuki." Shizuru lets her fingers linger on the blue haired girl's new tattoo teasingly, which elicits a sharp intake of breath from the younger girl. _Ara, Natsuki is so sensitive on the waist. _"I'll be back before you notice I'm gone." With a lighthearted chuckle, the chestnut haired girl disengages from her crush's body and begins to walk towards the vending machine.

"Take your time, ok? You can think about what you want to name your snake on the way." Still slightly flushed from the sudden intimate contact, Natsuki waves at the departing figure who turns around briefly to give her a dazzling smile.

As soon as the green eyes make sure that they are no longer in the view of the crimson ones, Natsuki begins to frantically check the amount of money in her wallet. _Ok, let's say it takes me three tries on average to clamp one stuffed toy. By the look of things, I'll probably need to remove three other stuffed toys in order to get to the purple snake. It's a hundred yen for each try, which means … 1200 yen! _Natsuki looks at the lone thousand yen bill and the five 100 yen coins in her wallet for the third time. _Oh well, guess I'm skipping dinner tonight._

Exactly 1200 yen later, Natsuki successfully gets her hand on the purple snake. _Now what am I going to do with the three extra stuffed toys? _Just as the blue haired girl is scratching her head, she spots a little girl with similar blue hair who is accompanied by an elderly couple. _I guess I can just give them to the little girl before Shizuru comes back._

As Natsuki walks towards the trio with stuffed toys in hand, the little girl recognizes the onee-san at once, and exclaims, "I know you! Grandma kicked your butt earlier."

Confused by the speech coming out of the tiny body, Natsuki nevertheless hands the three stuffed toys to the elderly couple and explains the situation as the old people apologize for the 'innocent' outburst. As the trio starts walking away, that is when the blue haired girl notices a familiar looking purple stuffed toy being held by the little girl.

_Wait a minute, that means …A GRANNY BEAT ME AT A SHOOTING GAME? My god, there goes my reputation …_The realization hits the ex-hime like a meteorite crashing down on Earth. The slender figure stands motionless, lamenting the end of her legacy.

By the time Shizuru gets back to the arcade, that is exactly the state that she finds her stuffed toy champion to be in. "Natsuki, what happened? Are you ok?" The Kyoto beauty gently waves her hand in front of the younger girl's face.

With a glazed look, the blue haired girl hands Shizuru the promised purple snake stuffed toy. "Yea, I think I'm ok. Here's your stuffed toy."

Determined to break Natsuki out of her trance, the immodest chestnut haired girl grabs her purple snake and leans towards the younger girl quickly just to give her a small peck on the cheek. "That's payment for Kiyohime." She whispered before blowing out a small puff of warm air at the blue haired girl's ears.

And that is what Natsuki exactly needs to make her forget about her shameful defeat. Turning red from head to toe faster than the speed of light, she takes her chestnut haired friend's hand and leads her towards the Time Crisis 3 machine right away, eager to get away from the scandalous ambiance between them.

The layout of the machines is a bit different from the usual set up where they are placed side by side. In this arcade, the machines are positioned back to back, making it difficult to see who one is playing against at times. Having never seen Shizuru play any sort of video games in the past, Natsuki automatically assumes that the Kyoto woman is just going to watch her play. On the other hand, seeing how the blue haired girl has no intention of asking her to play, Shizuru is more than happy to just stand at the back and admire the shapely behind of the younger girl. _Natsuki, has anyone ever told you what a nice butt you have? _

After a few minutes, as the video game addict happily shoots down her enemies, a sudden message pops up on the screen in front of her. _A second player has joined in the game? That is so annoying. I wanted to beat the game on my own._

Suddenly, an unfamiliar face appears in front of the girls. "Hi, gorgeous. My friend wants me to come over to let you know that he wants to make a little bet with you. Would the two of you like to go have a drink with us once my friend beats you?"

The arrogant tone of the tall guy immediately makes Natsuki want to puke. _Yea, like that's gonna happen. _"Whoever gets a higher score at the end of the game wins. If your friend loses, you two owe me fifty bucks. Deal?" The blue haired girl replied without taking her attention off the screen even once.

"Deal." The guy smiles politely. _This is a men's world. How well can a cute girl do in a shooting game?_

While the heated exchange is happening, nobody notices the stealthy steps of the beautiful girl in the summer dress, slowly moving towards the machine on the other side …

TBC.


	14. Video Game Arcade II

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XIV)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: R for violence.  
**Word count**: 1453

**Summary**: Still at the video game arcade.

**A/N**: I tried to give Shizuru and Natsuki an equal amount of cool screen time in this chapter. I wonder if you all can tell whether I like Shizuru or Natsuki more after reading what I have written in the past, hehe.

**A/N 2**: Ikezu means MEANIE by the way.

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At the moment, the elegant Kyoto woman is almost gliding with grace that she has learnt from years of tea ceremonies towards the shorter than average high school guy who is holding a toy gun at the screen. Her body comes into a stop a few steps behind the boy who dared to challenge her beloved Natsuki, and she just stands there with one arm across her waist, while her other hand is brought up against her cheeks in her favorite thinking position. Crimson eyes are fixated silently on the back of the boy as Shizuru starts pouring her feelings into her focused gaze.

The boy who had been completely engrossed in Time Crisis 3 before suddenly feels a chill to the bone, so he swings his head around madly looking for the source of the assault. But the only person who is standing remotely close to him is a sweet and innocent looking woman who is currently offering a smile that can melt the heart of any man. _Wait, isn't she the woman who is with the girl xxx-kun is trying to hit on? Leaving her friend behind just to try and admire my shooting skills, huh? I wonder if she has a thing for me. _The boy turns back to his game with a smirk on his face. _Lucky me._

After shooting down a couple soldiers, without warning, the boy feels like his life is being seriously threatened, but he does not know why. Once again, he tears his attention away from the screen, and desperately searches for any suspicious looking man that is paying him the slightest attention but to no avail. Then he sees the same gorgeous woman behind him who is now pointing at the screen and smiling sweetly at him. _Oh, she's trying to tell me to get back to the game. How nice of her. I guess she really wants to go out with me and xxx-kun. _But as he turns around, he is shocked to find the words 'GAME OVER! CONTINUE?' in front of him. _Damnit, I just started stage 2, and I have to put in coins already!_

Just as the irritated boy is digging into his pockets to get out more quarters, an exquisitely smooth hand with long slender fingers reaches past the boy and puts in a couple quarters.

"Don't you think you've tried hard enough? I believe it's my turn to play." With a smile that forbids people to say no to her, the chestnut haired beauty slides into the spot in front of the screen, holds up the toy gun, and takes aim at the word 'YES!' with confidence.

The short boy is at a loss of words. The turn of events is totally unexpected. At first he thought the woman just came to marvel at his awesome skills, but now he is not so sure anymore. He stands motionless on the side and watches the elegant looking woman clear the stage with a smile on her face that does not quite match how she shoots at the soldiers on the screen accurately with no second thoughts. _Okaaaaay, earlier I thought she was just another hot girl, but now I think she is a creepy hot girl._

The fact that the Kyoto woman is clearing the stages like it is a piece of cake does not help with the short boy's ego at all. Finally, the final 'STAGE CLEAR' pops up onto the screen, signaling the end of the game. He glares at the girl in the summer dress with venom in his eyes. _Her score beats my highest score. I can't believe this._

On the other side of the machine, the blue haired girl scrutinizes the numbers on the screen, and calculates the true scores in her head. _This guy joined the game starting at stage 2, so if I subtract my score in stage 1 from the final score, then the winner of this bet is …huh? It's a tie. His tactic is annoying, but his skills are real. For that, he has my respect. _Eager to see the face of the man with skills comparable to hers, Natsuki walks over to the other machine and is utterly shocked by the person standing in front of the machine who is still holding the toy gun.

"SHIZURU?"

However, the initial shock of the blue haired girl is quickly overwhelmed by a sense of urgency as she notices a short boy reaching for Shizuru's hand with a not-so-friendly glare. Her body reacts before the mind does. In the blink of an eye, the short boy's body flies back in the air and lands on the arcade floor with a bone-crunching thud.

Natsuki grabs the chestnut haired girl and swings her behind her now alert body, and she stares coldly at the whimpering figure on the floor. "Touch her and you die, you get that?" A low growl escapes the lips that are now pressed into a thin line as green eyes take on a menacing look.

Warm arms sneak their way across the blue haired girl's stiff waist as crimson eyes take in the scene with a twinkle in her eyes. "Ara, I don't think he can stand up by himself any time soon. Natsuki, I think he has learnt his lesson." Shizuru leans closer to the silky blue hair and whispers something that only the slightly red ears can hear. "I'm sure everyone in this arcade already knows that I'm yours." The silence permeating the arcade only adds to the truth of the Kyoto woman's words.

"Shizuru!" The younger girl turns her head a little, but never letting her eyes leave the boy on the floor. "I can't protect you when you're holding me like this." The tone of her voice comes out as if she is scolding a child that she has no intention of upsetting.

Hearing the commotion, the arrogant tall guy is horrified to find his semi-conscious friend lying on the floor with a big bruise on his cheek. He quickly supports the weight of his friend with one shoulder and drags him out of the arcade while muttering "forgive us" continuously.

Seeing how the pest threatening Shizuru is gone, Natsuki relaxes her shoulders and gets out of the warm embrace. "Why weren't you staying behind me when I was playing the game? How can I live with myself if something had happened to you?" The blue haired girl grabs hold of Shizuru's left hand and stares into the crimson eyes with a worried look on her face. _That was way too close for my comfort. Shizuru, I'm serious._

The chestnut haired girl simply gives out a sensuous smirk and playfully pats the black baseball cap covering the blue silky hair with her free hand. "As if Natsuki will let anything happen to me. If a truck tries to run me over, you'll probably just punch it away like how you punished that boy, right?" _Thank you, Natsuki, for always looking out for me. But considering how I have hurt you in the past, don't you know that your act of kindness is only making me feel more like a sinner? _The teasing of the chestnut haired woman only serves to hide her inner turmoil.

With a sigh of defeat, Natsuki gives up trying to engage in a verbal battle with the infamous ex-student council president. "So what do you want to do next?"

"Well, it seems to be too early to get on the Ferris Wheel because I want to see the sunset while we are in the cart. Do you want to go on a few more rides?"

"I saw on the park map that there is going to be a magic show at 4 pm. Do you want to check that out? It'll be a nice break from the summer heat." _I had always wanted to go to a magic show when I was little, but mother never had the time to take me to one. This is kinda embarrassing. I hope Shizuru won't think that I'm too childish._

"Sure, that sounds fun." _Ho ho, I wonder if I can bribe the magician into inviting Natsuki up on stage._

TBC.

----Omake beings----

"Shizuru, what happened to my coke?"

"Oh sorry, I drank it."

"Were you that thirsty?"

"No, not really. I just needed to cool down my body heat while you were playing Time Crisis 3."

"But it was freezing in the arcade. Shouldn't you have been drinking something warm since you didn't even have a jacket on?"

"Considering the view I had in the arcade, the coke was essential."

(sweat drops) "What were you looking at?"

"Ikezu." (deep blush)

----Omake ends----


	15. Going Broke

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XV)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1317

**Summary**: The inverse correlation between cotton candy and money.

**A/N**: Writer's block is evil. EVIL I say. Here's the long (?) awaited chapter. Thank you all for your patience with me.

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Someone once said that having money does not solve all your problems, but without it, you are screwed. Fujino Shizuru knows this saying well. Being blessed with a great family fortune since her birth, Shizuru never questioned the power of money. On the other hand, she also knows that there are some things that money cannot buy, like love. But it doesn't hurt to use money to indulge your love once in a while, right?

"Natsuki, I need to make a business call before we head over to the magic show. Do you mind giving me a moment?" Crimson eyes look over to the blue haired beauty apologetically.

"Yea, of course. Take your time. I'm just going to take a look at … uhm … THERE! The candy store at the corner." _Good job, Natsuki. Of all places, you have to pick the candy store. You don't like sweet stuff, remember?_

Seeing the regret in the green eyes, the chestnut haired girl chuckles to herself softly. _Some things never change. Always hiding your true feelings. Admitting to what you really want doesn't make you weak, you know? Natsuki … _"Great. I'll come get you when I'm done. Would Natsuki mind buying some candies for me so that we can share them at the magic show?"

"Okay, see you in a bit." Natsuki turns around abruptly and walks away quickly to hide her blush. _What is wrong with me? It's just_ _sharing a bag of candies with Shizuru_. _Friends do that. Goddamn this blush! _Images of their finger tips touching inside the candy bag and the heated gazing that follows, rush into the blue haired girl's mind. _Someone needs to stone me to death to get rid of all the weird ideas in my head!_

With a swift movement, the elegant woman flips out her Razor phone and calls her chauffeur's number on speed dial. "It's me. Find out who is performing a magic show at xxx amusement park at four today, and give me that person's phone number and dig up some dirt. Call me back in five minutes." Unbeknownst to most people, all of the Fujino family chauffeurs are college graduates with martial arts background and work experience in the detective field. With all the kidnappings going on these days, one can never be too careful. _Maybe five minutes are a bit of a stretch. But I don't want my dear Natsuki to wait too long. Ho ho, she has never been a patient person._

A couple minutes passed, and Shizuru picks up the phone again. "Hello … Good job. Father will surely hear about this." _Or not …_ "I will contact you if I need anything else." The end of one phone call means the beginning of another. "Hello, is this Honda-san? This is Fujino Shizuru, the Vice President of Fujino Corporation speaking. I have a proposition for you …"

Over at the candy store, Natsuki is overwhelmed by all the different kinds of colorful candies displayed neatly in front of her. _Ahhhh, I don't know what Shizuru likes. And yet …she seems to know everything that I like. _The girl who was once brainwashed by the strange allure of revenge is now mentally kicking herself for not paying more attention to the chestnut haired girl who had always been by her side. _I swear, from now on, I'm going to get to know Shizuru so well that I will be able to list every single piece of lingerie she owns AHHHHH I mean, every single kind of tea she drinks. _

"Excuse me. May I help you with anything, miss?" A courteous voice appears behind the blue haired girl. "We have a special on cotton candies today. Buy one get one free."

_A special, huh? It'd be nice to be able to save some money. Hmm …money …MONEY! _An imaginery brick hits Natsuki on the head and reminds her that she is almost out of cash after the arcade fiasco. "Uhm, how much do two bags of cotton candies cost?"

A couple minutes later, Natsuki finds herself staring at the lone 100 yen coin lying in her right hand outside the candy store. _Finally, the very last one. I really should have brought more cash …What an awesome idea not to bring your ATM card, Natsuki. _A sudden gust of wind blows dust into the clear green eyes. _Ow …_When the blue haired girl opens her eyes again, the only things that are still in her hands are the two recently purchased bags of cotton candies. "Nooooooo!"

"No what, Natsuki?" Crimson eyes glance curiously at the tomato-colored face of the now broke younger girl.

Shocked by the sudden sight of her Kyoto friend, Natsuki can only mumble something unintelligent at first. "No … uhm … ah ha ha … that was funny, Shizuru. Let's go get ourselves some nice back row seats at the magic show!" The ill-at-ease girl quickly presses her hands against the back of a very confused Shizuru and pushes her towards the amphitheater where the show will take place. _There is no way in hell I'm going to tell Shizuru that I ran out of money for the day._

_Ho ho, Natsuki is hiding something from me. _The scheming chestnut haired girl suddenly dashes forward, only to turn around abruptly to catch an off-balanced Natsuki in her arms. "Does Natsuki have something to tell me?"

Every fiber of the blue haired girl's body is electrified due to the close proximity of the older girl. Struggling to regain a moment of coherence, the younger girl takes long deep breaths to slow down her wildly beating heart. "Uhm, do I?" _There is nothing she can do that can make me tell the truth. _

_Still not giving up, huh? Can't blame me if I do this …_Slender fingers find their way under the blue haired girl's shirt, and begin to trace the outline of the hidden purple rose.

"Ah!" An uncontrollable moan escapes the younger girl's lips as Natsuki shudders involuntarily in the arms of the Kyoto woman. "Shizuru!" Afraid of embarrassing herself any further, Natsuki backs away rapidly so that she is out of reach from Shizuru's wandering hands. _Why is it so easy for her to make a fool out of me? _A blue pony tail swings freely in the air as its owner turns her head in defiance.

Crimson eyes scrutinize green eyes carefully to detect any signs of disgust and fear, but instead they find merely embarrassment. _My Natsuki is always so shy. Another reason that I'm so crazy about her. Seems like you are not afraid of my touch anymore, Natsuki … even if you have forgotten about that fateful night at my tea ceremony student's place, I just …can't … _Unknown to the green eyes that are not facing the older girl, crimson eyes dim tremendously to mirror the horrible flashback. Nevertheless, Shizuru quickly shakes herself out of her self pity. _Not right now, Shizuru. Not today, at least. _

The older girl extends her hand gingerly towards the blue haired girl's hand that is not holding the cotton candy. "C'mon. Don't be mad. Is one of the bags for me?"

Looking down at the linked hands, if Natsuki had any feelings of discontent towards Shizuru before, now those feelings are all gone. "Yea, this is for you. Let's hurry to the magic show before the kids force us to sit on the floor in front of the stage. I heard that those damn magicians like to pick people that sit close to the stage. Argh. " Unwilling to let go of the slender fingers in her hands, Natsuki starts pulling the older girl towards their destination again.

Admiring the beautiful view of the slim blue haired figure from the back, Shizuru lets an evil smirk creep to her face. _Ho ho, aren't you in for a big surprise …_

TBC.


	16. Evil Cotton Candy

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XVI)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1169

**Summary**: Evil cotton candy. (Evil in a good way.)

**A/N**: I know that this chapter is a bit short, but just bear with me. Just thought that it would be funny to stop at that particular point in the story. More hilarity ensues in the next chapter!

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When Shizuru and Natsuki arrive at the amphitheatre, all the front row seats are already filled with little kids and their guardians, which seems perfect for the blue haired girl, who leads the other girl to sit down at the back corner of the establishment. There are still ten minutes left before the show starts, so they decide to each grab their own bag of cotton candy and have a taste of the pink fluff.

For 200 yen worth, there really is not much cotton candy. In roughly ten minutes, the girls have already emptied each of their bags. Bringing her finger tips together, Natsuki stares at her fingers annoyingly. "I don't really mind the taste of cotton candy. But I just hate that sticky feeling on my hands afterwards. Shizuru, can I borrow some Kleenex?"

"Ara, my fingers are too sticky to reach into my purse. Hold on." Playful crimson eyes stare straight at the innocent green ones as Shizuru puts her finger tips to her luscious lips and lets them be wetted by her tongue in a seductive manner. Seeing how Natsuki can only stare at her lips with unblinking wide eyes, the chestnut haired girl smiles inwardly. _This is for not telling me the truth back there._

The Kyoto woman then brings some Kleenex out of her purse elegantly and holds them out in front of the still frozen younger girl, who does not seem to notice the offered item. "Ho ho, if Natsuki doesn't need the Kleenex anymore, would she prefer to have me clean her fingers for her?" Unable to get a rise out of the blue haired girl, Shizuru's brows furrow slightly at first, but she soon recovers with a cunning grin. _I'll take silence as a 'yes please'. _Long wavy chestnut hair blocks off the expression on Shizuru's face as she lowers her head to give Natsuki's fingers a mischievous lick.

A quick gasp escapes the lips of the blue haired girl and her trance is instantly broken. "Shi … Shizuru?" The feeling of silky hair caressing her arms is turning Natsuki's mind into scrambled pieces of jigsaw puzzle. "Wha … What are you doing?" _Can't …think … _The younger girl sits up straight stiffly, confused about what to do next.

_Oops, maybe I have gone too far this time. _Shizuru raises her head and gives the blue haired girl an innocent smile. "You didn't respond, so I thought you wanted me to clean your fingers for you. I still have the Kleenex if you want them."

A red-faced Natsuki grabs the Kleenex from Shizuru quickly. "Thanks." _That was normal, right? Friends take care of each other's needs. I'm sure very very good friends lick each other's fingers all the time. _

A sudden shriek from the overhead speakers grabs the girls' attention immediately. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boy and girls. Welcome to our daily magic show. Today our very special guest is Mr. Honda!" Smoke begins to come out from behind the curtains on the stage, and everyone in the amphitheatre claps in anticipation of the show.

Soon a shadow emerges from the smoke, and in front of everyone stands a man in a funny mask in a suit and a tall hat. "Welcome, everyone. First of all, my assistant is going to give each and everyone of you a sheet of paper with a number on there. Towards the middle of this show, one very lucky guest whose number I shall later call out, will have the privilege to join me in some of the best magic tricks. Now, without further ado, let us witness the grandeur of magic together." After that announcement, the magic show officially begins.

At one point when the magician's assistant walks towards Shizuru and Natsuki with sheets of paper in her pouch, Shizuru gives the assistant a discreet wink and raises her eyebrow to indicate the blue haired girl sitting next to her as the special one. The assistant smiles knowingly and grabs a sheet of paper out of her shirt pocket instead of the pouch to hand to the completely oblivious Natsuki, who never suspects that her fate is sealed as soon as she receives that piece of paper.

Throughout the first half of the show, Natsuki is truly impressed by the mind-blowing stunts being displayed on stage. Likewise when the magician announces that it is time to invite one of the spectators come on stage, the first time magic show attendee only scans the crowd curiously with no sign of apprehension. _Blah, what is the chance of me being selected anyways?_

"Number ninety-five! Will the person holding the sheet of paper with the number ninety-five printed on there please come forward?"

"Ara, isn't that your number, Natsuki?" Kyoto-ben carrying the horrific news enters the perky ears of one very shocked Natsuki. With a sweet innocent smile, the chestnut haired girl nudges gently at the tense figure sitting next to her.

Thunderous claps drown out the screaming in Natsuki's head. _WHY ME? WHY ME? WHY ME? _She pulls down her baseball cap nervously.

"Ho ho, is Natsuki too shy to go on stage?" _And if I say this, she'll say …_

"What? Who do you think you are talking to? I'll go!" By the time Natsuki realizes what just came out of her mouth, it is already too late. _Why do I feel like I'm being set up?_

"I can't wait to see your performance. Good luck." _Predictable as always._

_Damnit, now I can't back down. Whatever, what's the worst that can happen anyways? _With newfound determination, the blue haired ex-hime marches to the stage holding her head up high.

The magician holds out his hand and pulls Natsuki up onto the stage. "Ah, a lovely lady. Just my luck." Just as the magician bends down to try to give the back of her hand a light peck, an icy chill runs down his body involuntarily. _Okay, maybe not a good idea. _He lets go of her hand and awkwardly changes his position into a gentlemanly bow instead. When he raises his head again, he is met with a pair of dispassionate red eyes from the back of the amphitheatre. _Ah, the infamous vice president of Fujino Corporation. Better not get on her nerves._

"What is your name, miss?"

"Natsuki."

"Okay, Natsuki-chan. I need you to put your arms up over your head."

Twitching irritably at the usage of 'chan' after her name, Natsuki nevertheless follows the instruction. _This is so embarrassing. Shoot me now._

From inside his suit, the magician pulls a humongous pair of silver tongs. "My lovely audiences, these are my magic tongs. They can travel through space and reach for things that are normally out of reach. Let me demonstrate."

The magician extends the tongs towards the neckline of the blue haired girl and wriggles the metallic object slightly in the air. In the blink of an eye, a flesh-colored 32 A bra appears clamped in between the tongs.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

TBC.


	17. The Magic Show

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XVII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1261

**Summary**: The magic show.

**A/N**: Back with more magic show craziness. This chapter focuses more on the magician / Natsuki interaction, but I did try to squeeze in some Shiznat time too. Anyways, on with the story!

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The amphitheatre is instantly filled with laughter after the magician's little stunt. On the other hand, the lone unhappy person in the establishment hurriedly brings down her hands, only to cross them in front of her chest protectively. _Wait, I can still feel the wire of my bra_. Taking a closer look at the offensive item being held by the tongs, the heavily brushing blue haired beauty screams in anger. "THAT'S NOT MINE! The one that I'm wearing right now is a dark blue lace bra from Versace's Golden Era collection, not some cheap used crap you buy in a thrift store! Who are you trying to fool with that 32 A bra? I'M A 34 C!"

After hearing Natsuki's passionate clarification, Shizuru can only hide her face in her hands and use all the strength in her body to stop from rolling on the floor and bursting into a truly unlady-liked laughter. _Oh my god, how can you be so adorable, Natsuki! _She reaches into her purse, takes out some Kleenex and dabbles at the drops of tears at the corner of her eye.

Back on stage, the magician shrugs his shoulders casually. "Oops, I reached into the wrong dimension and took out my 'man bra' by mistake." He drops the tongs to the ground and puts the bra on outside his suit clumsily, which incites the crowd to guffaw even more. "As you all know, policemen have gun holsters. But for us magicians, we have magic accessories holsters." As if on cue, two bouquets of flowers spring out from each of the bra cups on his chest, earning the magician another round of applause.

_Damn this magician. Oh mister, I'm so going to see you after the show. _Green eyes shoot out venom at the masked man who is taking a bow towards the audiences.

Taking off his 'man bra', the magician picks up his silver tongs once again. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, my magic tongs are going to try to reach a place that holds the mystery of human kind, a place that even the smartest scientists have not yet mastered its true meaning. We call this place … the human mind." Eerie music begins to come out of the overhead speakers, and many little kids throw themselves in the arms of their parents for a sense of comfort.

Natsuki takes a step back with furrowed brows as the masked magician approaches her steadily with the magic tongs in his hands. _This guy is not going to whack me on the head with those tongs, is he?_

Noticing the unfriendly aura around the blue haired beauty, the magician stops in his track and tries to calm her down. "C'mon. Don't be afraid, Natsuki-chan. My magic tongs are not going to hurt you. In fact, they are going to grant you a wish. They are going to grab whatever it is that you desire deep down in your mind."

"Really? Whatever I wish?" Green eyes scrutinize the man behind the mask dubiously. Without the girl on stage even realizing it, those same eyes pause momentarily on the chestnut haired figure who is smiling elegantly from the back row.

"Yup. Would you mind putting your arms up over your head again?"

"Fine. I'm curious to see how you are going to pull this off."

This time, instead of wriggling the tongs near the neckline, the magician makes the tongs hover above Natsuki's black baseball cap. "Magic tongs, show me what Natsuki-chan really wants."

Suddenly, earsplitting applause bursts out from the audience. _What? What is going on? What are the tongs holding? _The confused girl lifts up her head and sees a ten thousand yen bill clamped tightly by the silver object. _MONEY! _Green eyes light up right away as the very broke Natsuki reaches for the precious piece of paper.

But before the blue haired girl can get a hold of the ten thousand yen bill, the magician moves his tongs away from her and grabs it with his free hand. "Interesting. But I don't think that's what Natsuki-chan really wants." The masked man shoves the bill in his fist so that it completely disappears from everyone's view, and blows on the balled fist. "Reveal!" When he opens up his fist again, a pigeon comes flying out of his palm into the audiences.

"How do you know what I really want?" The blue haired girl questions the masked man with an annoyed tone. _I can't believe he just turned my ten thousand yen bill into a damn pigeon. What the heck am I going to do with a pigeon? Roast it?_

"Just wait and see." The magician whispers to Natsuki with a cryptic smile that nobody can detect. _You think I didn't notice the sneaky glances you threw towards Ms. Fujino?_

The pigeon takes a flight around the amphitheatre twice leisurely before finally setting foot at the back row next to a beautiful lady with crimson eyes. Satisfied with the result, the magician gives out a loud whistle and the pigeon flies back to the stage obediently.

A quick wink towards the blushing blue haired girl and the magician continues with his next trick. He takes off his tall hat, flips it upside down, and leads the pigeon into the hat. "Hm, I don't think our Natsuki-chan wants a pigeon either. Let's see what we can do about that." After shaking the hat left and right roughly, the magician turns his hat over and a bag of cotton candy falls out. "Everyone, please give a round of applause for Ms. Natsuki!" As the masked man hands the cotton candy to the blue haired girl, he takes this opportunity to get closer and whisper in her ears. "I can't give you what you really want, but think of the cotton candy as a consolation prize."

"What are you talking about?" Before the blue haired girl can get a satisfactory reply, the magician's assistant has already arrived to escort her back to her seat. _Did he mean he was too cheap to give me a hundred bucks? Or did he mean …_

For Natsuki, it feels good to blend in with the crowd below the stage once again. As she sits down next to the Kyoto beauty, she lets a sigh of relief and balances her head in between her hands with her elbows on her knees. "Well, that was awkward. But at least I got us another bag of cotton candy."

"Natsuki looks so cute on stage. (happy sigh) I'm going to try to get you invited up on stage again next time we go see a magic show." The chestnut haired girl puts her hand on her cheek and begins to let her imagination run wild.

"What do you mean you are going to try to get me invited? Didn't the magician randomly draw my number from a hat?" Veins begin to pop out on the blue haired girl's forehead as knuckles turn white from the strength of the balled fists.

"Natsuki, what do you think is the likelihood of you being chosen out of the hundred people or so in this amphitheatre?" Slender fingers lightly brush on the purple rose hidden underneath the blue haired girl's shirt in a playful manner.

"Ah!" Another sexy moan breaks free from the younger girl's lips. "Fujino Shizuru!" Overwhelmed with embarrassment, the blue haired girl whacks the Kyoto woman over the head with her bag of cotton candy. _I am going to get back at you, Shizuru. I swear on the mayonnaise collection in my fridge!_

TBC.


	18. Recording Studio I

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XVIII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1195

**Summary**: Ever done a music video?

**A/N**: Hi y'all. Are you still alive? It amazes me how many chapters I have written for one single date. Oh well, I guess you can read the fic like you are watching a movie in real time with no editings. Sorry for not updating last night. Did a lot of brainstorming and some soul searching. Anyways, enjoy!

**A/N 2**: To refresh your memory, Katakoi Enka is Shizuru's character song in the Mai-Hime CD and Enka is a type of traditional Japanese song where a singer usually performs in a kimono.

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The rest of the magic show proves to be just as entertaining as the first half. But even the most spectacular stunt on stage cannot take Natsuki's mind off of her plan of revenge. Since finding out how Shizuru bribed the magician before the show, the blue haired beauty has been purposefully ignoring all comments from the Kyoto woman sitting next to her, to the point where the usually calm and elegant ex-student council president is starting to feel uneasy. The awkward silence follows the duo even after they have walked out of the amphitheatre, with Natsuki in front, and the chestnut haired girl trailing closely behind. That was until something catches the eyes of the fuming mayonnaise addict …

Squinting green eyes read the flashy billboard next to a huge flat screen on top of a strange looking building ahead of the girls. _Free studio recording! No purchases necessary! Live your dream as a pop star! Services include recording your own song and customizing your own music video …This is it! The answer to my quest for revenge!_

A small clearing of the throat from the blue haired girl immediately catches the sulking Kyoto woman's attention. _Are you not mad at me anymore, Natsuki? I hope I haven't gone too far this time …_

"Look, Shizuru. I'll be lying if I say that I'm not mad at you."

"Oh …" Even the queen of drama cannot hide the disappointment in her voice.

"So to make up for what you put me through in the magic show, I think I'm entitled to make you do something in return." The blue haired girl replies with a crooked smile and clasped hands on her back.

"What is it that you want me to do, Natsuki? I promise I'll do it as long as it's not too out of line." The chance to receive Natsuki's forgiveness instantly dissipates Shizuru's initial disappointment.

_You better say yes to this. _"Sing and dance for me."

"What? Here?" Worried crimson eyes look around at all the people walking around the duo. _I don't want to see my heartthrob image going down the drain!_

A soft chuckle is followed by a roll of green eyes. "C'mon, I'm not _that_ evil." _Bwa ha ha ha. _"I'm going to be the only person who will see you sing and dance. Look! There's a studio over there where you can record a song and a music video for free. Why don't we go give it a try?" _JUST SAY YES!_

_Well, if it is only in front of Natsuki, I guess that's ok. _"Alright. But do I get to pick what kind of song and dance I do?"

"Sure." _I got you. _"Let's go!" The Fuka High School ice princess lets out her best imitation of a sweet smile and starts dragging the chestnut haired girl towards the odd looking building.

_Okaaaay, Natsuki is doing her insane smile again. Something is definitely not right. I just can't quite put my finger on it …_Unable to shake the doubt in her mind, Shizuru nevertheless follows Natsuki into the building.

"Welcome. How may I help you two today?" A smiling receptionist greets the two girls at the entrance.

"We would like to do a recording of a song and a music video, please. This is all free, right?" Suddenly worried about her empty wallet, Natsuki had to make sure that she wouldn't be paying for even a penny in her revenge scheme.

"That is correct. You only pay if you wish to buy a tape of your music video afterwards. You can also purchase a cassette with your song in it in case you are not satisfied with the music video. Here is a binder that contains all the songs we have. We also lend out costumes for free for the music videos. Just let me know when you are done with your selection."

As the Kyoto woman flips through the song binder, her eyes sparkle at the discovery of Enka songs at the back. _Hey, I know 'Katakoi Enka'! I wonder if I can borrow a fan and a kimono for the music video. _Later an affirmative nod from the receptionist further puts her mind at ease. _Great! This is not too bad. Just like one of those dance recitals I used to do to entertain my father's guests._

"Here is a sheet of lyrics for the song you picked, miss. Please use the first recording room to your left. You will get to record the song three times. Just put on the headphones and start singing into the microphone. Any more questions?"

"Nope. That was loud and clear. Thank you." To Shizuru's surprise, it was Natsuki who answered the question, and she is currently pushing the next 'Japanese Idol' towards the recording room in lightning speed. As soon as she shoves the chestnut haired girl into the room, her hand is already clasping the door handle. "Shizuru, I'm just going to wait for you outside. I don't wanna mess up your recording. See ya."

"But Natsuki, how are you going to hear …" A door slam cuts off the melodious Kyoto-ben. _Oh well, I guess she can probably hear my singing when we do the music video._

Actually, anyone who is in the lounge area outside the recording room can hear the person singing inside. The moment Natsuki closes that door, the blue haired girl beings to march back to the receptionist. "Excuse me. Is it possible to get my friend's music video up on the flat screen on top of the building? It's her birthday, and I would really love to surprise her." _Try to be casual, Natsuki. SMILE!_

"Well … it is not the amusement park's policy …"

The slightly annoyed girl tips her head down a little and gives the receptionist an icy glare powerful enough to freeze the Sun. "Maybe you didn't hear me correctly. I said, it is my friend's BIRTHDAY, and I would REALLY appreciate your help to surprise her." _This is a matter of getting back at Shizuru. I can't let some stupid policy stop me now._

Fearing more for her life than breaking the standard protocol, the receptionist replies with a louder than normal voice, "Sure, miss. It is your friend's birthday after all."

"Thank you." Feeling satisfied that her vendetta seems to be running smoothly, Natsuki flops herself down on the sofa outside the recording room. For the first time since Shizuru had gone into the room, she is paying attention to the voice coming out of the overhead speakers. _Wow, her voice …it's beautiful …SHIT! This is not the time to admire her voice. Shizuru is supposed to be tone deaf so that I can make fun of her song afterwards! God, I need to come up with an alternative plan …_

Perhaps God really is listening to Natsuki's plea. A sudden ruckus at the entrance brings the pensive girl back to reality.

"Yo yo yo! What's up, biatch? You got a rap song for Daddy-O here?"

The blue haired girl can only roll her eyes at the rapper wannabe. _Wait, a rapper … HA! That's it!_

TBC.

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**A/N 3**: Just wanna do a shout out to everyone who gave me reviews for this story - Darkredeyes, sakuraharunosrival, Kimiko Li, Shezaei-neko, jordan.D, Tahimi, Icy-Windbreeze, Kioni, niwasatou, CSCJ, Uchiha-chan, Naolin, hii dollface and HimeISM! (passes out goodie bags containing tea leaves blessed by Shizuru-sama (in reality it is ficeler37 wearing a Shizuru mask, but close enough) and mayonnaise packs (the same brand that Natsuki uses))


	19. Recording Studio II

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XIX)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1778

**Summary**: Revenge is at hand.

**A/N**: Wow, this chapter is just insanely long for me. Took me a long time to figure out when to end it. I laughed when I was reading what I wrote. Hopefully that will be a nice indication of what is to come.

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Despite the extremely rude behavior of the rapper wannabe, the receptionist remains cordial as she directs him towards an unoccupied recording room. On the way to rap his heart out, he does a double take on the stunning blue haired girl sitting on the sofa with her legs crossed. _Nice legs. Let's fuck! _"Yo, hot chick! Wanna know what a real man feels like?"

"Talk to me again if I'll be the last person you ever talk to." Sharp green eyes pierce the crude idiot with no mercy. _Why do I keep running into these jerks?_

"Chill, girl. It's all good." The guy subconsciously takes a step away from the sofa. _She has got to be bluffing, but somehow … I believe her. Damn, where my submissive hot chicks at? _Rapid footsteps are followed by a loud slam of the door.

_(sigh) I already feel bad for intimidating that poor receptionist earlier. I just wish it was possible for me to pull off this trick without her help. I owe you one, Ms. Receptionist. _With a determined look on her face, Natsuki walks over to the reception desk once again. "Hello. I'm sorry to bother you again. Can you just tell me how the music video recording works?"

Seeing the intense girl walking towards the desk disturbed her at first, but the receptionist was relieved to hear that it was just a normal question coming out of her mouth. "Of course. At the back of the corridor is the music video recording room. There is a closet filled with costumes inside and you can welcome to try things on in the changing room. When you are ready, come back out and pick a background for your music video from our wide selection of settings from the New York Central Park to outer space. When you get back inside the room, press the red button that reads 'ready' on the wall, and I will play the music for you and you can start dancing in front of the blue screen. The video will play on the tv in the lounge once while you're recording and once after you are done with the recording so that you can look at the result." After reciting the speech almost in one breath, the receptionist remembers the blue haired girl's special request all of a sudden. "I will hook up the flat screen next to the billboard so that the showing will happen simultaneously both inside and outside the building."

"That's great. But listen, I need another favor from you …"

As soon as the chestnut haired girl comes out, Natsuki repeats what the receptionist told her earlier. "So why don't you go put on a kimono in the changing room right now? I'll wait for you in the lounge area."

A cute little pout finds its way to the Kyoto woman's face. "You're waiting outside again? (sigh) It's so difficult to put on a kimono. Does Natsuki want to help me put it on in the changing room?" Shizuru hooks her finger on the other girl's tight jeans pocket playfully and tries to pull Natsuki closer.

"For someone who wears kimono as much as I wear t-shirts, that argument was not convincing at all. Now stop being a big baby and go." The younger girl gently pats the chestnut haired girl's head as if she is coaxing a little kid.

With a sigh of defeat, the older girl starts dragging her feet towards the back recording room. _How can I say no to her when she speaks to me in that gentle voice with that cute face on? I hate having to do everything by myself. I thought the whole point was for her to see me sing and dance. Now it just feels like I'm going to be singing and dancing with me as the only audience._

Right before the Kyoto beauty walks into the room, the blushing blue haired girl decides to let out what has been in her mind ever since she heard the voice of an angel. "Shizuru! Your voice was beautiful by the way. I heard you." _If only she didn't make a fool out of me at the magic show, I could have given her this compliment without feeling guilty. Argh!_

The chestnut haired girl turns her head around quickly and sticks out her tongue at the meanie who refuses to help her (un)dress. "Thank you, Natsuki." The corners of Shizuru's lips rise up and form a nicely shaped arc as the singer of the day enters the room.

A few minutes later, Shizuru steps out of the recording room in a white kimono and wooden clogs with a fan in hand. "So? What do you think?" She walks in a sensuously slow pace towards the blue haired girl frozen at the spot.

Through the clear green eyes, time stops around the chestnut haired beauty whose natural elegance seems to be affecting time and space. _Kimonos really suit this woman. When was the last time I saw Shizuru in a kimono? Probably during the hime festival … Still, what has changed since then? I don't remember feeling this way before …_ "It's perfect."

Shizuru flashes a sweet smile to Natsuki then walks towards the receptionist to pick her music video background. In the end, she chooses a series of scenery shots in a Japanese stone garden. _Come to think of it, dancing in the music video might actually be kind of fun. I guess I got lucky if this is all I have to do to get Natsuki to forgive me. _"So I'll see you in the lounge after I'm done with the recording, Natsuki?"

_Ahhh! It's too late to feel sorry for Shizuru now. It was her fault to begin with. The vendetta must go on! _Trying her best at a casual smile, the younger girl replies, "Yea, I'll be here afterwards. I look forward to see your video."

The moment the kimono-clad woman disappears from sight, the girl on a revenge rampage gives a hand signal to the receptionist, who gives her a cheesy thumbs-up as confirmation of _the _plan.

During the entire process of the video recording, Natsuki has had trouble sitting up straight due to an excruciating stomach pain. _Oh my god, this is so much better than how I had imagined it in my head. _Green eyes never tearing away from the lounge TV for even a split second, Natsuki holds her stomach down roughly with her hands to minimize the muscle convulsions from laughing her head off.

Unknown to Natsuki is that a congregation of spectators has also gathered outside the building to stare at the bizarre scene on the flat screen. Men, women, old people and children alike are cracking up to the point where tears are coming out of their eyes.

As Shizuru finishes her dance in the back room, she cannot help but feel a sense of accomplishment. _Hm, that was a pretty good run. I didn't miss a step in the dance. I wonder how the music video will look. _When she walks out of the room, what she sees in the lounge is definitely not what she expected.

"Natsuki! Natsuki! Are you alright?" When the chestnut haired girl saw the trembling younger girl curled up in a fetus position facing away from her on the sofa, her first instinct was that Natsuki must be sick. _What happened while I was in the back room?_

Unable to hold it in any longer, Natsuki uncurls herself and starts laughing like she got poisoned by smiley mushrooms (think Chie in Mai-Otome).

"Natsuki?" _Was my dance really that funny? _Just then, a tune that she recognizes but does not expect starts coming out of the lounge TV. _I thought they were going to show my music video now. _Crimson eyes follow the sound and land on the TV in horror. _WHAT IS THAT?_

What Shizuru and many pedestrians outside the building are witnessing is a music video featuring music from Sir Mix-A-Lot's 'Baby Got Back' while the image of a kimono-clad Shizuru doing an elegant fan dance in outer space is in the background. The serious look on the Kyoto beauty's face on TV only adds to the absurdity of the entire video production.

The cacophonous laughter resonating from outside the building intensifies the despair in Shizuru's mind as she can already guess what is playing on the flat screen outside. _My heartthrob image … gone forever … _She stares at the TV blankly long after the end of her music video.

"HA! Shizuru! Now we're even." Natsuki smiles triumphantly at the petrified Kyoto woman. _I am not going to be teased forever by you, Shizuru. It's payback time!_

"Oh. I see." Emotionless words leave the pale lips of the older girl. Without taking a second look at the blue haired girl, Shizuru slowly exits the recording building.

Truly not expecting this turn of events, Natsuki can only jog after the Kyoto woman after a few seconds of a confused pause. _She was supposed to do the fake crying trick again to make me blush then forgive me. That was the perfect plan! Shit, did I really piss her off this time? _"Shizuru, wait up!"

The girls walk in silence for quite a while in the exact opposite formation compared to when they first walked out of the magic show. This time it is Natsuki who is dragging her feet with a regretful look behind the fuming Shizuru. Suddenly the older girl takes a look at her watch and stops in her track, causing the not-so-vigilant Natsuki to almost run into her.

An about face later, crimson eyes meet green eyes for the first time since leaving the recording building. "I'm hungry."

"Okay?" _That's the first thing that came out of your mouth after how you have ignored me for the past twenty minutes?_

Not another word leaves those luscious lips on porcelain skin and the older girl starts marching forward again. Natsuki decides that the best course of action is to just do what Shizuru wants her to do until her anger disappears. Five minutes later, Natsuki begins to notice a strange pattern in the people around her. _Why are there so many old people around?_

"We are going to eat here." It is neither a question nor a suggestion, merely a declaration. The Kyoto beauty points at the building that resembles more like a temple than a restaurant.

An audible gulp comes out of Natsuki's throat as she reads the wooden sign with elegant calligraphy carvings. "Tofu Palace?" _You have got to be kidding me!_

TBC.


	20. Tofu Palace I

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XX)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1219

**Summary**: Natsuki tackles healthy food.

**A/N**: It's update time! (Somehow Power Ranger's "It's morphing time!" phrase was in my head for a split second. Haha.) Some might find that Shizuru is letting Natsuki off the hook too easily after the whole music video deal. Well, I don't know. If you really have to keep score on both sides, I feel like Natsuki is still losing by a lot overall. Anyways, on with the fluff!

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"This way, please." A waitress in kimono politely leads the girls into a secluded tatami room. On the way to their seats, Natsuki could not help but notice how Shizuru and she are standing out in this establishment that is populated with so many wrinkly customers. _I thought the majority of people who come to the amusement park are young people. Why is there a restaurant serving healthy food here? I want my grease! And where did all these old people come from anyways? _Flopping down on the cushioned seat grumpily, the blue haired girl nevertheless grabs a menu from the waitress.

Even though on the outside the chestnut haired girl still has her stoic face on, seeing how the veins on the blue haired girl are more visible than usual after she had scanned their surroundings is enough to send the inner evil Shizuru into fits of giggles. _Payback is a bitch, my dear Natsuki. I'm not going to let you get off the hook that easily, ho ho. _Another tidbit the older girl learnt from her resourceful internet search the night before was that this is the restaurant that young couples are mostly to avoid for its lack of greasy food. _People in my generation should really watch their diets more carefully. I hope Natsuk hasn't been stuffing herself with mayonnaise and instant noodles everyday since I last saw her. _

_Where is the meat section? _"Excuse me. I think you gave me the vegetarian menu by mistake." Green eyes look up at the patient waitress standing not to far from them. "There was no mistake. We only have one menu in this restaurant." The waitress smiles cordially at the blue haired with a frozen expression on her face. Staring hard at the menu once again with furrowed brows, Natsuki begins scanning for dishes with a particular cooking style. _This is just great. Hopefully they have something fried at least. That way I can just smother the dish with mayonnaise to give it some taste. _At this point, the younger girl has completely forgotten that her empty wallet is not going to help pay for anything that she orders, however tasteless the food may be.

"We would like to share tonight's dinner special for two please. May I also some green onions on the side?" Smiling for the first time since the recording studio, Shizuru is secretly going through her plan to get back at Natsuki in her head.

"Uhm … yes! Of course. Anything else?" It seems like another girl has fallen victim to Shizuru's professional smile.

"Some hot tea would be nice. I think that will be all." Still smiling at the blushing waitress, the chestnut haired girl does not forget to sneak glances at the younger girl sitting on the opposite side.

_Why is she always smiling like that in front of random pretty girls? What about me? When was the last time she smiled at me? _A jealous Natsuki is too annoyed to realize what Shizuru had just ordered for the both of them. _I know what I did was a bit extreme, but how long is she going to stay mad at me for?_

For the next fifteen minutes, the only sound between the two girls was the quiet tea-sipping noise from the chestnut haired girl. Natsuki's natural instinct let her know that it was probably not a good idea to disturb the woman sitting in front of her, however peaceful and non-threatening she may seem. Finally, the still slightly flushed waitress arrives at the table again with ten small vegetarian dishes and a side dish of chopped green onions.

Glancing at the two or three dishes that seem to have something fried in them, Natsuki lets out an audible sigh of relief. "Excuse me, can I have some may…"

A hand slammed on the wooden surface cuts off the blue haired girl's request abruptly. "Ara, I thought I saw a fly on the table." _If you thought you were going to see that awful off-white colored sauce in my presence, then you were surely mistaken._

Sweat drops slide down the blue haired girl's forehead as she stares at the tea-sipping woman whose movements are so graceful that the hand slamming a few seconds ago could only be treated as an illusion. "Okay, never mind." Natsuki buries her face in her palms and pouts at the dishes on the table.

_Stop being so cute, Natsuki! _The older girl struggles to remain facially expressionless as her heart leaps in joy at the adorable sight in front of her. Taking a deep breath to control her increasing heart rate, Shizuru proceeds to execute her next plan of action.

Green eyes widen in horror as anything remotely fried got sprinkled with chopped green onions. _Argh! It'll take forever to separate the green onions from the fried stuff. _Examining the rest of the dishes on the table who escaped the cruel fate of green onionization does not make Natsuki feel any better. _Great. This is just going to be one fabulous dinner. _"Shizuru, do we have to eat this for dinner?"

"You know, for someone low on money, you sure are picky about what you eat." Crimson eyes observe in mirth the cute face reddening at the speed of light. _You think I am just going to forget about your odd behavior outside the candy store and the look on you face when the magician took out that ten thousand yen bill?_

"How did you know?" The question came out a bit incoherent due to the speed at which it was delivered. _I can't believe I forgot about that. _

"It doesn't matter. Anyways, you should have some nutritious food every once in a while. By the way, I can tell that you have been stuffing yourself with mayonnaise since I graduated from Fuka High School." The Kyoto woman smiles at the flushed girl in front of her in a teasing manner.

"What kind of superpower would let you know what I have been eating?" _Damnit, why does this woman always seem to know everything about me? Am I really that predictable? _Confusion aside, Natsuki is relieved that Shizuru is finally teasing her again. Tense shoulders relax quite a bit as if a heavy burden had been lifted off of the biker girl's body.

"I don't need any superpowers to know that Natsuki feels softer to the touch at the waist. I seem to remember that there was not an ounce of fat on that slim waist of yours back when I used to ride behind you on the motorcycle. But now … ho ho." Shizuru brings up her hand to her lips elegantly to stop herself from laughing too loudly.

"You haven't been riding on my motorcycle lately. How did you know that I gained weight?" _How dare you diss my killer curves?_

"Natsuki is just so huggable nowadays. (happy sigh) Who needs a big stuffed toy when they can just hug Natsuki on the waist in a haunted house?" The older girl chuckles quietly as the blue haired girl crosses her arms defensively over her flat tummy.

"As if I'll let anyone hug me on the waist normally …" Natsuki lowered her head to hide her embarrassment as she muttered softly. _Only you, Shizuru. Only you …_

TBC.


	21. Tofu Palace II

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XXI)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1328

**Summary**: Shizuru, Natsuki, tofu, mayonnaise, and Shizuru's mad chopstick skills.

**A/N**: I'm surprised that Monday Night Football didn't get sucked into my fic as my ideas are easily influenced by what I watch on TV. Can't imagine Shizuru and Natsuki flinging tofu at each other like a football. LOL. Ok, I'm weird. This chapter focuses more on the casual banter between the two girls, which may be refreshing after so many chapters of things happening around them. Am I making sense at all?

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The way the chestnut haired girl delivers steamed green beans into her mouth with her graceful chopsticks skills can almost be considered an art form. From the angle of her hands to the chopsticks control that prevents food crumbles from marring the speckless table, not an excessive movement is performed that wastes an ounce of extra energy. In stark comparison to the Kyoto-born woman's natural elegance, on the other side of the table, Natsuki gives up holding the chopsticks in the normal fashion to instead bring them together like a skewer stick, and stabs the fried tofu like an ancient homosapien jabbing a spear at swimming fish in the river. After the blue haired girl brings the tofu in her bowl, she will twist her wrist violently to shake off all the annoying green onions sticking to the golden surface before taking a bite of the tofu with a grimace.

Shaking her head with a small smile at the childish eating habits of the younger girl, Shizuru poses a question that has been bugging her mind since she stepped foot into the restaurant. "Natsuki, be honest. How often do you eat mayonnaise?"

The handsome girl in the baseball cap puts down her chopsticks and diverts her gaze to the side as if that would help her come up with a better answer for the simple question. _Shizuru is going to laugh at me if she finds out the truth. It's not like she can verify what I am about to tell her anyways. Alright, decision made. _The blue haired girl blinks twice before answering nonchalantly. "Just a small pack a day."

Noticing how Natsuki had been stirring absentmindedly at the green onions in her bowl since she asked her that question, Shizuru immediately deduces that the likelihood of Natsuki telling the truth is as often as a blue moon. "Really? That's too bad. I was shopping at a supermarket yesterday and I saw a big sale on new mayonnaise flavors. But since you're only having a teeny tiny bit of mayonnaise each day, I guess there's really no point for you to stock up then." The chestnut haired girl takes a long sip of tea with barely open eyes that are discreetly observing the reaction of the girl on the other side of the table. _Time to change the topic. _"So Natsuki, tell me about your school work? Still having trouble with Japanese history?"

_Big sale? New mayonnaise flavors? WHERE? _Green eyes stare intently at the bowl as Natsuki's mind is currently traveling as fast as a bullet train. Vaguely aware that something had come out of Shizuru's lips, the blue haired girl just assumes that they are still on the topic of mayonnaise. "Where was the sale?"

"What did you get on your last Japanese history exam?" An innocent smile displays across the delicate features on the Kyoto woman's face. _Let's see for how long you can hold in the truth. _"I still have my Japanese history notes from high school, so I can lend them to you if you like. You can pick them up when you drop me off at my apartment tonight."

_Ahhhhh, she is doing this on purpose. Quick, Natsuki! Come up with an excuse to get back to talking about mayonnaise … Wait, I got it! _"Mai said she needed to buy some mayonnaise for Mikoto. You know about Mikoto and her bottomless stomach. Why don't you tell me where the sale is so that I can let Mai know too?"

"That's interesting. I was just on the phone with Tokiha-san yesterday, and she didn't mention anything about Mikoto picking up the strange habit of eating mayonnaise." _Who do you think gave Tokiha-san the idea about your amusement park outfit today? _"I'll make sure I tell her about the sale next time I talk to her. Thanks for letting me know, Natsuki." _Soon my dear Natsuki is going to explode. Ho ho._

The frustrated younger girl brings her palms up to her temples roughly and lets out a deep breath. "ARGH! Fine, you win! I put a bottle of mayonnaise in my backpack everyday when I go to school, and I finish a bottle a week on average. Now will you PLEASE tell me where you saw the sale?"

Grinning like a cat that just caught a mouse, Shizuru delivers the shocking news. "There's a sale on new mayonnaise flavors in the kitchen of the Fujino residence. Completely new flavors and a hundred percent free for you. I was mixing new flavors to try to surprise you the other day. I never said that the sale actually took place in a supermarket now, did I?"

Knowing that she had just lost another verbal battle to the infamous ex-student council president, Natsuki can only blame herself for letting the truth escape her lips so easily. Nonetheless, the thought of Shizuru mixing mayonnaise for her alone in the kitchen warms up her heart tremendously. "So you are okay with me eating that much mayonnaise?"

The Kyoto beauty takes on a more serious look as she stares into the timid green eyes. "Natsuki, people cannot survive on mayonnaise alone. You need to pay attention to the food pyramid. Have you been eating fruits and vegetables?"

"Mai makes sure to put some of those in my lunch box everyday, so it's not like I'm going on a strict mayonnaise diet." The younger girl hurriedly explained.

_I'm glad that Tokiha-san fulfilled her promise. But how I wish I was the one contributing to your healthy diet, Natsuki. You have no idea how many times I dreamt about preparing lunch boxes for you to eat at school like what a dutiful wife would do for her loved one. _"Thank goodness Tokiha-san is around to take care of you. I guess I worried too much. Sorry, Natsuki." _You seem to be doing quite alright without me, Natsuki. I don't know if I should be relieved or disappointed by this. _"But I still think that it's better for you to cut down on the mayonnaise to one meal a day. I don't want to see the day when you come crying to me because mayonnaise starts leaking out of your ears, okay?"

"THAT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!" Natsuki can only focus on munching on the fried tofu in front of her in order to ignore the giggles coming from the other side of the table. Shortly after the bean curd massacre, green eyes scan the remaining dishes anxiously as the realization that chopsticks spearing won't pick up any more food item hits Natsuki hard. _Why did I never bother to learn how to use chopsticks properly? WHY? I hate you, squishy food. Why can't you be solid? _After trying to pick up a block of steamed tofu from the center of the table for the umpteenth time, the blue haired girl finally decides to put down her chopsticks and announce that she is full.

"Natsuki, you are such a meanie. You expect me to finish everything on the table by myself?" Skillfully picking up the piece of steamed tofu that was poked many times by the younger girl, the chestnut haired girl reaches her hand over the table and holds the delicate food item up in the air in front of Natsuki's lips. "Do me a favor. Hurry and eat this before I drop it."

After years of hanging around the cunning older girl, Natsuki finds complying with Shizuru's orders as natural as breathing in air at times. Without a second thought, she leans her upper body forward and takes captive of the naughty tofu that had been causing her trouble before. _Ew, this is as tasteless as I expected._

Just as the blue haired girl is chewing on the offered item, Shizuru brings her chopsticks directly from Natsuki's lips to her own without making any detours. "Yum, the essence of Natsuki. (pause) Tastes like fried tofu, hehe."

"Shizuru!"

TBC.


	22. Losing Control

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XXII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1204

**Summary**: The truth about Natsuki's wallet. Shizuru's miscalculation.

**A/N**: Someone gave me some nice pointers for my writing in a review for the last chapter, and hopefully the improvement will show a little in this chapter. Do pardon my vocabulary since that is not something that I can improve overnight. Will try to stop being lazy and pay more attention to my writings in the future. Enjoy! (wink)

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After the girls' second indirect kiss of the day, Natsuki managed to fill up her stomach with some more food by placing her lips right against the rim of the rice bowl and shoveling the soft tofu directly into her mouth with her chopsticks. The atmosphere of the remaining meal time was relatively relaxing and peaceful, apart from a playful comment of the Kyoto woman pointing out how butchy and sexy the other girl's eating manner was, which elicits yet another blush and subsequent fits of giggles. Shizuru paid for dinner matter-of-factly, citing that it was her idea to go to the vegetarian restaurant. By the time the girls walk out of Tofu Palace, it was already close to seven in the evening.

Strolling side by side with the girl of her dreams in a comfortable silence, Shizuru cannot help but make a silent wish to whatever deity listening to her that the sun will never set today. However, as soon as she realizes what she has done, she can only scoff at her foolishness. _Women in love are indeed more superstitious. Just months ago, you swore to kill any gods or demons that stood in your way to protect Natsuki. Now you expect them to bless your one-sided love? _Shizuru stares deep into the horizon, at the dark blue that seems to be mocking her unrealistic plea. _Since the day is going to end soon, I might as well make the most out of the imminent sunset. _"Would Natsuki mind going on the ferris wheel with me?"

Natsuki takes off her black baseball cap and lets her pony tail loose. "Sure, why not?" _Much better. No more pony tail, no more annoying headache. _She runs her fingers through her silky blue hair casually and gets rid of some unwelcome knots. "Let's go get in line." With her baseball cap back on, Natsuki starts walking towards the attraction.

It takes Shizuru a few seconds to notice that the other girl had said yes to her suggestion. Quickened footsteps strive to catch up. _Does this girl know how gorgeous she is? I can't get my heart to stop beating like a high speed metronome. _A healthy blush makes it ways to the silky smooth skin as a result of the mental and physical stimulation.

To the girls' unpleasant surprise, many people are already in line when they get close to the ferris wheel. The girl in the summer dress presses on the skin that peeks out from between the black shirt and the tight low rise jeans. "Hurry, Natsuki! Let's get to the back of the line before it gets any longer. I don't want to miss watching the sunset on a gondola."

"Ah! Shizuru! Are you doing this on purpose?" Natsuki twists her head and glares at the elegant-looking aggressor behind her.

Glistening crimson eyes gaze back at the fuming girl. "Natsuki thinks that I want the line for the ferris wheel to be so long?" She sniffles softly as a drop of tear struggles to keep from sliding down her face.

_It's a trick. It's a trick. It's a … I can't stand her looking so sad! _"That was not what I was talking about. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." Natsuki reaches out for the shaky hands. _Her hands are so warm._

"Ara, since your apology is so sincere, I guess I will forgive you if you buy me a drink at the juice stand. I'll save a spot for you at the line." That lone tear drop hanging at the corner of her eye mysteriously disappeared, and a smug smile replaces the previously innocent and hurtful look. _Natsuki barely touched her tea over dinner. She must be pretty thirsty by now._

_Damn, this woman. Always taking advantage of me! _"Fine. Wait for me." Natsuki releases her grip on the delicate hands and marches towards the juice stand nearby. About half way to the stand, the errand girl makes an abrupt turn towards where Shizuru is standing in line.

"What's the matter, Natsuki?" The other girl's name rolled out of her lips smoothly like red wine being twirled around in a tall glass. Dangerously alluring. A devil's sweet murmur.

_You knew this was going to happen. You knew! _The burning temperature of her face betrays Natsuki's inner shame. "I don't have any cash on me. Can I borrow some from you to buy you that drink?" She whispered just loud enough for Shizuru to comprehend her words.

_So the truth finally came out, ho ho. Alright, I should stop teasing you. _"I think the sign at the juice stand reads 'buy one and get one free'. Here's five hundred yen. Why don't you get us two cups of orange juice?" She playfully slaps the flushed girl on her bottom and nods her head at the direction of the juice stand.

With a pout and a harsh glare, Natsuki orders her drinks with the two young boys working behind the stand. While one boy works diligently to prepare the drinks, the other boy looks disinterested while listening to his music with his headphones. As Natsuki walks away from the juice stand with drinks in hand, it was then that the laid back boy notices that something is missing. "Dude, where did you put the drink that I just spiked with Everclear? That was mine. That shit was expensive, you know? Being 95 alcohol and all. "

A sheepish grin appears on the other boy's face. "Oops, I thought it was one of the pre-made drinks and handed it to the girl that was just here. But it should be okay, right? I mean, normal people should be able to tell whether a drink is alcoholic or not. She can just come back for a replacement."

"Good luck with that theory. That Everclear shit is almost tasteless on its own. Damn, I need my boost now. Why do I have to be clear-headed for the rest of my shift?" The boy shrugs his shoulders and retreats back to his music world.

Back at the ferris wheel line, Shizuru and Natsuki are sipping on the drinks in their hands, oblivious to the hidden trap in one of their drinks. The line moves rather quickly as the sun is still in the sky when the girls hit the front of the line. With her drink in hand, Natsuki easily climbs into the gondola, settles herself on the left bench and waits for the other girl to come in. _That orange juice wasn't such a bad idea. I was actually pretty thirsty back there. Lucky me._

A sudden vibration on the gondola makes Natsuki jump out of her seat a little. "Are you okay, Shizuru? Did you miss a step? It's unlike you to be so clumsy." She spots the older girl leaning on the gondola entrance with her hands balanced on either side of the half open gate.

"Natsuki …" A breathy moan with a heavy undertone of sexual energy. Shizuru focuses her gaze at the love of her life with warm pink cheeks. "Ara, I feel kind of weird. Can Natsuki give me a hand?" _It's so hot in here. What's wrong with me?_

TBC.


	23. Ferris Wheel

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XXIII)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1188

**Summary**: Have you ever wondered how a conversation would go between a drunk Shizuru and Natsuki?

**A/N**: I know that this chapter is shorter than usual, but that doesn't mean that I didn't put a lot of thought into writing it. For those who were expecting outrageous things to happen inside the gondola, you may be disappointed. On second thought, there's always the omake, hehe. The next chapter is going to be the last one by the way! (runs away sobbing)

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"Grab onto my arm." Natsuki leads Shizuru to sit down on the opposite side of the gondola. "What has gotten into you?" Back at her previous seat, Natsuki eyes the older girl wearily. _This is not the symptom of a heat stroke, right? Damnit, Natsuki. Why weren't you paying attention in your health education class?_

With a lazy smile on her face, Shizuru rests her head on the silver bar on the side of the gondola. "Frowns don't suit you, Natsuki. Will you smile for me, my princess?"

"We're not himes anymore. You don't have to call me a princess." Natsuki stares intently at the gum stuck on the floor. _Don't blush, Natsuki. You can do it._

Shizuru takes a sip of her drink and runs her tongue across her lips seductively. "Ara, is my Natsuki too shy for a mere term of endearment?" Her gaze travels up and down the other girl's body in a predatory manner. "Natsuki is the only princess in my heart, you know."

Watching the other girl out of the corner of her eye, a blush spreads across Natsuki's face against her will. _If this was the first time I met with Shizuru, I would have sworn that she had x-ray vision. She's practically undressing me with her eyes! How could those words come out of her mouth so effortlessly? _"Don't be silly. You're acting really weird, Shizuru. Are you sure you are okay?"

"Never felt better. For once, I'm speaking my mind." With a glazed look, Shizuru stares far away at the setting sun. "When I was little, someone told me a Greek myth about a man with wings made of wax. This man ended up falling to his death after flying too close to the sun, which melted his wings." After stealing a glance at the younger girl to make sure that she is still paying attention, Shizuru continues with her story.

"I have always thought that the guy was an idiot. I mean, wouldn't hot dripping wax on his arms be a good enough signal that perhaps it was a bad idea to keep flying higher and higher into the sky?" A deep throated chuckle. She wasn't sure if she was laughing at the idiotic action of the poor hero, or something that hits much closer to home. "But now I understand. Sometimes people just do what they do, even if they know that it is going to hurt them in the end." _Like how I can't help but be attracted to you, Natsuki …even if it kills me a little on the inside each day._

"Shizuru, why are we talking about this?" _Is this one of her cryptic messages again? Why can't she just come flat out and tell me what's in that head of hers?_

"I don't know what I am talking about anymore. Must be something in my drink." Shizuru gives Natsuki a teasing wink and lifts her cup towards her lips once more.

"Let me have a sip of that." After spending years collecting information in shady bars, Natsuki had acquired an excellent sense of taste for hard liquor. _What the hell? Someone definitely spiked this drink. _"Listen to me, Shizuru. Don't drink out of this cup anymore. You're drunk."

"Then can I have a sip of Natsuki's drink?" Shizuru rises up from her seat and holds out her hand in the air to reach for the drink on the other side of the gondola. Unfortunately, her double vision causes her to misjudge the distance. She stumbles forward and lands herself right in the lap of the other girl. _So close, yet so far away._

_Ahhhh! Her head is so close to my … _"C'mon, get up." With her upper body strength alone, Natsuki guides the fallen figure to the space next to her. "Woah!" Putting an arm around Shizuru's shoulders in the nick of time, Natsuki was barely able to prevent a head on collision between Shizuru's head and the silver bar on the window. _Shizuru is not going to be happy if she finds an angry red bump on her forehead when she is back to her old self. Bet she won't be laughing at that 'walking into a bar' joke._

"I had … a lot of fun today … Natsuki." Shizuru shakes her head, wanting to get rid of the urge to sleep raiding her mind. _So heavy … my head. _"Thank you … and … I lov …" A quiet thump on the younger girl's shoulder stifles the end of her sentence.

"Shizuru? Are you alright?" Feeling the warmth of deep steady breaths on her neck, Natsuki wants to give it one last try before concluding that her best friend just fell asleep on her shoulder. "Your precious tea leaves are on fire, hairy butt." Silence. _No objections to both accounts? Guess she really passed out._ _Hmmm …wonder what she was trying to say before?_

Soft chestnut-colored curls tickle Natsuki's face with no mercy. She pulls back a little and observes the sleepy face on her shoulder. _So harmless and innocent looking. (scoff) What am I talking about? This is the woman who will grope me every five minutes. _

"Wake up, sleepy head. Look outside. The sunset is beautiful." The gentle request results in a moan of displeasure. Unwilling to raise her voice any higher than the failed whisper, Natsuki decides to give the older girl a break. _Guess it's just me and you, pretty colors in the sky. Wait, did she just say something? _As she bends down and tries to decipher Shizuru's mumble, the older girl instinctively snuggles closer to the crook of her neck.

"Natsuki … please … don't go …" A tiny bead of sapphire blue slides down the side of Shizuru's flushed face and makes contact with Natsuki's sensitive skin.

"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Not without you." With a tender kiss on the resting Kyoto beauty's temple, she seals in a solemn promise. _You have my word, Shizuru. I will always be here for you._

Golden rays fill the enclosed space inside the gondola. Basking in the warmth of nature's gift, Natsuki closes her eyes. _I still don't know if this is the feeling that you hoped for, Shizuru. But one thing is for sure …after how we spent the day together, I don't think I can go through another day without you in my life. _With a firm tug of the arm, Natsuki pulls the older girl closer to her body. _What can I do to keep you by my side, Shizuru?_

TBC.

----Omake begins----

Shizuru is still dreaming in her la la land.

Inside the lingerie shop in la la land …

Natsuki: Shizuru, I feel like my boobs got bigger over spring break. Can you remeasure my bust size?

Shizuru: Ho ho, just leave everything to me. (gets behind Natsuki and starts massaging those perky breasts)

Back in the gondola in reality …

Natsuki opens her eyes in horror.

Natsuki: Wake up, Shizuru! Stop it! (moans)

Shizuru's subconscious chooses to ignore Natsuki's not-so-convincing plea.

Natsuki spots a brat in another gondola making kissing faces at her.

Natsuki: This is a nightmare. Tell me I'm dreaming.

Natsuki gives up and takes a sip of Shizuru's abandoned drink.

----Omake ends----


	24. Going Home

**Title**: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XXIV)  
**Author**: ficeler37  
**Note**: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.  
**Rating**: PG  
**Word count**: 1878

**Summary**: Going home.

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Hmm …It's over already? _As the ferris wheel ride comes to an end, Natsuki gently wakes up the other girl and helps her out of the gondola with her arm still across her shoulder. Perhaps because the Kyoto beauty is still dazed from her little nap, Natsuki finds herself supporting most of Shizuru's weight. _Thank god Shizuru is light as a feather. This is so unfair. How can she be so light when she's taller than me and her breasts are bigger than mine? _"Hold on, Shizuru. Let's see if we can wake you up."

Carefully, the sober girl leads Shizuru towards the bathroom. Inside the nearly empty bathroom, Natsuki pulls back the chestnut-colored hair to keep it from getting wet as Shizuru splatters water on her still flushed face. "Feeling better?" When she bends down to take a closer look at the other girl, her heart skips a beat without warning.

Water drops slide down creamy white skin and drop to the sink from Shizuru's pointed chin. The older girl is practically glowing as her face reflects the golden rays shinning in from the window. The cute pink blush on her cheeks only serves to make her look more sweet and innocent than she actually is. "The water is cold …" Shizuru offers a small smile to the stunned blue haired girl. _I wonder what is going on in that adorable head?_

"Oh, okay. Let's wipe the water off your face then." _Stop zoning out, Natsuki. Be more helpful! You need to take care of Shizuru. _Natsuki reaches into Shizuru's purse and takes out some Kleenex. "Here, let me help you with this." She focuses her gaze on the droplets as she dabs the Kleenex softly on the porcelain face.

The concentrated look of the blue haired girl makes the previously receding blush of Shizuru come back in full force. Suddenly she finds it difficult to control her breathing as her mind registers the minimal distance between the two girls. _Natsuki, don't you know the gentler you are with me, the harder it is for me to let you go? _Shizuru grabs the hand holding the damp Kleenex and looks deep into the green eyes. "Thank you, Natsuki. That's enough." _And the clock strikes twelve for Cinderella … _"I'm tired. Let's go home."

As the two of them walk out of the bathroom, Natsuki notices that the other girl has trouble walking in a straight line. It seems to her that even though Shizuru has cleared her head, her body still has trouble shaking off the effect from the liquor. In one swift movement, Natsuki lets her hand slide around the Kyoto woman's lean waist.

Feeling the sudden pressure on her body, Shizuru looks over in surprise at the girl in the baseball cap. _So, you were brave enough to hold me but not brave enough to look at me? Awww, you're blushing. KAWAII! _"Are you cold, Natsuki? You should have just told me. You know I would gladly throw myself at you to keep you warm."

_Ahhhh, this woman and her smirk! _Natsuki pinches Shizuru at the waist through her dress to show her annoyance, but she does not let go of the tipsy girl's body.

"Ow! Natsuki is so mean." Shizuru attempts to use her teary-eyes attack to gain back the upper hand. _That didn't hurt at all. Always the tender one, Natsuki, no matter how hard you try to come off as a mean-spirited person._

This time, the younger girl predicted Shizuru's strategy and has long averted her gaze to the stores on the side. _I won't fall for it again. _To Natsuki's surprise, from the reflection of the store windows, she notices many curious glances at Shizuru and her from the people around them. _What are they looking at? Why do they all have that creepy smile on their faces? _"Ne, Shizuru. Do you notice all these people staring at us?"

Shizuru lets her lips get as close as possible to the nicely shaped ear facing her. "Must be the irresistible fragrance of Natsuki's body scent." As Natsuki swings her head around ready to admonish the other girl, Shizuru takes this opportunity to give her a small peck on the cheek. "Oops, I guess Natsuki's cheek ran into my lips."

A slump of the shoulders and a deep sigh later, Natsuki once again surrenders to the cunningness that is Shizuru. "C'mon, I'm serious. Look around."

"I saw earlier. I honestly don't know why." _I'm used to guys staring at Natsuki and me. But this is weird. It's like everyone is staring at us._

A couple steps forward and the answer hits Shizuru and Natsuki in the face. "Ara, it seems that we are in the spotlight." On the screen outside the sticky pictures machine is an awkwardly smiling Natsuki who is being kissed on the cheek by Shizuru with her eyes closed. The caption underneath the picture reads 'Number One Most Popular Picture of the Day'.

"Argh, this is all your fault!" The heavily blushing girl lets go of the other girl's waist and goes for her hand instead. "We need to get out of here." She pulls Shizuru towards the park exit hurriedly. _I feel so dumb being the only one who is embarrassed. Is there anything that will make this woman blush in embarrassment?_

When the girls get to Natsuki's motorcycle, the sky has already turned a deep shade of blue. Natsuki turns to the chestnut haired girl who is leaning on her metallic sweetheart and putting on a light purple helmet. "I know that you are still not feeling up to a hundred percent. So promise me that you will hold onto me tight later, okay?" _At least Shizuru's apartment is not too far from here. I'll have to make sure to drive slower than usual._

Watching Natsuki get on the bike with a powerful leap, Shizuru climbs behind her carefully to make sure that her dress will not ride up later. "Too bad I don't have the means to superglue myself to Natsuki. It'll be so much safer to fall asleep on your motorcycle." As Shizuru wraps her arms around Natsuki's waist, she lets her fingers make a faint trail on the skin underneath her black shirt.

_She did it again! _Suppressing the urge to turn around and push the other girl off the bike, Natsuki starts the engine and begins maneuvering her ride out of the parking lot. "Don't do anything strange to me. I don't want to crash my bike and kill the both of us."

"I don't understand what kind of strange things you were referring to." To provoke the person in front even more, Shizuru begins tracing circles around Natsuki's belly button underneath her shirt.

The motorcycle makes a loud shriek as the wheels struggle to regain control. "Didn't I just tell you not to do that? I don't want you to get hurt!" Natsuki yells loudly to make sure that the girl behind can hear her.

Melodious Kyoto-ben makes a strong contrast with the angry growl. "I believe in Natsuki's driving skills. You'd never let me get hurt." _Sorry, Natsuki. For a moment there, the thought of us dying together suddenly seemed appealing to me. What a selfish bitch I am. (scoff) How I wish we were never reborn. That way I won't be forcing my twisted feelings on you now, and you'll be free._

The rest of the ride to Shizuru's apartment is filled with silence. Both girls are deep in thought, afraid to acknowledge the end of their wonderful day together.

Throughout the day Shizuru had been treating the date like a wish granted by a genie, a dream that will never be repeated once the spell is broken. Turning a blind eye on her previous resolution of hiding from Natsuki, Shizuru convinced herself to be indulged one last time before she completely lets go. _The only reason why Natsuki would agree to go out with me was because she felt like she owed me since I saved her from a date in hell with Takeda. But now that we are even, I really don't have any excuses to be around her anymore. Shizuru, it's time to set her free._

While the girl at the back is mentally preparing herself to say goodbye, Natsuki's mind has been traveling at a different direction. _When is the next time that we are going to see each other again? Do I need to wait another three months? Is she even going to pick up her phone again when I call? _Green eyes dim considerably while hidden inside the dark helmet. _I still don't understand the feelings I have towards Shizuru, whether it is friendship or … But one thing is certain, Shizuru, I don't want you to go. I need to know that when I open my eyes tomorrow, I'll still be able to see you if I want to. I …need you. _

Soon they arrive at their destination and Natsuki parks her bike on the side of the road. Both Shizuru and Natsuki take off their helmets, but neither girl makes a move to get off the motorcycle.

"I had a great time today, Natsuki."

"Yea, me too."

Silence.

Both girls do not want the day to end, but neither of them can come up with a reason to prolong today's enchantment which had numbed their heartaches for the past three months. Finally, Shizuru lets out a deep sigh that she has been holding in for a long time and releases her arms from around Natsuki's waist. _Cinderella has to go home someday. Only this time, there is no fairy godmother to help me live happily ever after …_

"MOVE IN WITH ME!"

"Huh?"

Natsuki rambles on. "My apartment is closer to the university anyways. I can give you a ride to school every morning. In return, you can make lunch boxes for me to bring to school. You always say that I should eat healthy. Well, here's your chance to make me. Oh, and if I need help with school stuff, it'll be easier for you to come tutor me if you just live with me." Not hearing any replies from the older girl, Natsuki struggles to find more excuses to bind Shizuru to her. "I heard that there are a lot of creepy men that like to follow women home. You don't have a car, right? It'd be much safer if you let me drive you everywhere. We don't have our hime powers anymore. The least we can do is stick together and look out for each other …"

Shizuru shuts up the younger girl by pressing onto her back more and kissing her ear lope. "Shuush … Natsuki, breathe." Shizuru brings her arms around Natsuki's neck and pulls her back into a fierce embrace. "The answer is yes." _How can I say no to such a passionate plea? It's okay if we are not lovers now … We have all the time in the world._

THE END.

Extras:

"Uhm, Shizuru. You can get off my bike now."

"Iya I thought Natsuki was going to take me home." (holds onto Natsuki for dear life)

"Well, we're here." (confused look)

(whisper) "I meant _our _home."

(tomato face)

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**A/N**: Well, I guess this is the end of the roller coaster ride. Did everyone have fun? I sure did. Just want to say a big thank you to all who have read all the chapters from beginning to end. Having your support and reviews means a lot. (waves) Till next time!

(passes out tea sets and motorcycle models designed by Shizuru and Natsuki respectively)


End file.
